Allegri: Juventus' fatigue showed against Empoli

Massimiliano Allegri has conceded his Juventus side showed fatigue in a hard-fought 2-1 Serie A win over Empoli.

Cristiano Ronaldo's double – the second of which was a sublime strike from long range – secured a comeback win for Juve to move the Serie A champions eight points clear at the top.

Juve have now won 12 of their last 13 matches in all competitions, and Allegri feels the Bianconeri's performance was typical of a team struggling with the effects of a congested fixture list.

"A team that wins 12 games out of 13 can be a bit tired," Allegri told a news conference.

"The team had started with the right approach, but after 10 minutes we slowed down the tempo of our passing and allowed a few too many Empoli counters.

"Empoli are tough to play against, so we had to be wary of the counter and that is how they scored the goal.

"In the second half, we created many chances and deserved the victory, but we have to tip our hats to Empoli for being so well-organised and impressive.

"It was a game that had to be won, regardless of the performance. Congratulations must be made to Empoli for how they played."