Juventus coach Massimiliano Allegri in high spirits despite Champions League defeat

Juventus may have become the only club to lose six European Cup finals but they took heart from pushing Barcelona to the limit in Saturday’s riveting final and restoring the honour of Italian football, coach Massimiliano Allegri said.

“More than anything else we come out of this final with greater self-esteem, greater confidence and greater awareness of what we can do,” a remarkably upbeat Allegri said after Juve lost 3-1 in their first Champions league final since 2003.

“I can’t say that I’m disappointed with the performance of my team,” he added, proud of the equaliser by Alvaro Morata in the 55th minute that sent the large Juve following into a frenzy and turned the last 35 minutes into a thriller.

In his first season coaching Juventus, Allegri led his side to the domestic double, winning the scudetto and Coppa Italia.

There were no signs that he or his players were feeling the weight of history on their shoulders either during or after the match despite now having lost more finals – in 1973, 1983, 1997, 1998, 2003 and 2015 – than any other club .

They have also won European Cups twice in 1985 and 1996. Two other clubs, Bayern Munich and Benfica, have lost five finals.

“We’re sorry that we didn’t win but I’m proud of what the boys did,” said Allegri. “We can come away from this having played in European competition with personality. That was apparent on the pitch tonight.”