Max Allegri confirmed Medhi Benatia will miss the Supercoppa with Milan and praised the Juventus squad players for beating Bologna.
Federico Bernardeschi and Moise Kean got the goals at the Stadio Dall’Ara in a 2-0 result that puts Juve in their 12th consecutive Coppa Italia quarter-final, a new tournament record.
Medhi Benatia reportedly wants to leave Juventus, but the club want to keep him until the summer.
According to Calciomercato.com, Benatia’s agent – former Genoa, Inter and Roma midfielder Houssine Kharja – met Juve sporting director Fabio Paratici on Tuesday.
However, the website warns ‘the situation didn’t change’ as the Bianconeri ‘have no intention’ of letting him go midseason.
Nonetheless, the Moroccan could leave this summer, when he will have just one year left on his contract.
Juventus rejected an Arsenal offer for Medhi Benatia, but Milan are reported to be lining up a summer swoop.
The Morocco international is frustrated at the lack of playing time and is expected to move on at the end of the season, although Juve have ruled out a January exit.
According to Tuttosport newspaper, the Bianconeri have turned down a proposal from Arsenal, but Milan are laying the groundwork for a purchase in June.
Arsenal were prepared to hand Aaron Ramsey over to Juventus now in exchange for Medhi Benatia, but the Bianconeri rejected it.
It is widely reported that Ramsey has already agreed terms to join Juve at the end of the season as a free agent, once his contract has expired.
The Bianconeri were eager to get him in their squad from the January transfer window, but Unai Emery doesn’t want to lose him six months early.
According to Tuttomercatoweb, Arsenal would only have let Ramsey leave early if Juve included defender Benatia as part of the exchange.
Milan, Arsenal and Schalke 04 have made offers for Medhi Benatia, but Juventus refuse to release the centre-back in January.
According to La Gazzetta dello Sport, the 31-year-old Morocco international is more than happy to consider moving on, as he is frustrated at the lack of regular playing time.
However, Juventus have no intention of letting him leave mid-season.
Benatia has been given just six competitive appearances this term and his contract is due to expire in June 2020, so a summer exit is more than likely.
Juventus defender Medhi Benatia has admitted that he is going through a ‘difficult’ spell in his career.
Benatia has not played since November 11, with Leonardo Bonucci slotting straight back into Juve’s central defence after his return from Milan, and the Moroccan posted a cryptic message on Instagram.
“Many of you have left me messages of support at this difficult time and I thank you for it!” he wrote.
“I particularly want to pay tribute to the Moroccans who have taken the time to write to me!
Napoli defender Kalidou Koulibaly has been omitted from the shortlist for the 2018 African Player of the Year, but Juventus’ Medhi Benatia is in.
Koulibaly’s exclusion has been heavily criticised on social media, given he helped Napoli finish second in Serie A last season, represented Senegal at the World Cup and is considered one of the world’s best centre-backs on current form.
Juan Cuadrado is expected to miss the Derby della Mole with Torino, with Joao Cancelo also in doubt, but Medhi Benatia returns for Juventus.
It kicks off on Saturday at 19.30 GMT, click here for a match preview.
Cuadrado limped off during last night’s 2-1 Champions League defeat to Young Boys with a left knee sprain that will be evaluated over the next few days.
Cancelo missed out on that game entirely and is considered to be in doubt for the Torino match too.
Medhi Benatia returned to Juventus training today, but Juan Cuadrado has a knee injury which will be monitored.
The Bianconeri lost to Young Boys in the Champions League last night, and returned to Turin this morning.
With the Derby della Mole against Torino on Saturday, Massimiliano Allegri’s squad had a training session on their return.
The club’s official website confirms that Benatia trained with the players who didn’t feature last night, while the rest had a cool down session.
Alex Sandro returns to the Juventus squad to face Young Boys, but Sami Khedira and Medhi Benatia are out.
The Bianconeri will seal top spot in their Champions League group with a win in Switzerland tomorrow, and are already guaranteed a place in the Last 16.
This afternoon Massimiliano Allegri has named his squad, with left-back Alex Sandro returning after injury.
Khedira and Benatia won’t make the trip to Bern, but other than that Allegri has almost a full squad.
