Tudor confident Juventus will make Serie A´s top four

Igor Tudor is confident Juventus will earn a top-four place and qualify for the Champions League at the end of the current Serie A campaign.

After missing the chance to go clear in the race for qualification following a 1-1 draw with Bologna, Tudor’s side currently sit fourth, level on 63 points with fifth-placed Roma and Lazio in sixth.

Tudor, who took over at the end of March after Thiago Motta’s dismissal, is absolutely sure that Juventus will get the job done over this final stretch of the season.

“Yes, I am convinced (of that), but everyone is convinced,” Tudor told a press conference on Friday.

“All the teams think they are strong. Then there is the pitch. Sometimes words are smoke. You have to prepare well.”

Coach Tudor looks ahead to tomorrow’s #LazioJuve: pic.twitter.com/bK672wJdxZ

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Juve now face Lazio away from home in a crucial match for both sides’ European aspirations, and Tudor has been pleased with the intensity shown by his players ahead of the game.

He said: “I saw awareness and confidence this week, and a great desire to do well.

“We know the importance of this match and we prepared ourselves as best we could.”

Tudor is set to welcome back Dusan Vlahovic after the striker had been out of action for two weeks with a thigh problem, but Teun Koopmeiners is still missing.

“Dusan is fine. He was all week with us,” Tudor said.

“[Federico] Gatti and Koopmeiners, meanwhile, will not be there, although Gatti played a little bit with us and will be on the bench.”

The Croatian is wary of the threat that Lazio pose, though he’s looking forward to returning to his old club, having briefly coached the Biancocelesti for three months last season before leaving in the summer after failing to agree on potential transfer targets.

He said: “Lazio are an experienced team with strong players. We have to be careful, but we have to focus on ourselves.

“Last year we did a great job and went to the Europa League.

“Then I made a calm decision to leave and I still love everyone. Tomorrow will be a different match than Bologna, but they have other qualities.”