Massimiliano Allegri leaving Juventus at end of season

TURIN, Italy (AP) — Massimiliano Allegri will not coach Juventus next season, leading to speculation the Italian club champion is preparing to rehire former manager Antonio Conte.

Allegri "will not be on the Juventus bench" for 2019-20, the club said in a brief statement on Friday, adding Allegri and Juventus president Andrea Agnelli will hold a news conference on Saturday.

Allegri's contract was due to expire at the end of next season and he indicated he would remain in place when Juventus clinched a record-extending eighth straight Serie A title last month.

Allegri has been in charge of Juventus for the last five seasons. He led the team to two Champions League finals but Juventus appears frustrated by not being able to win the European trophy — especially after signing Cristiano Ronaldo from Real Madrid before this season.

Juventus was eliminated by Ajax in the quarterfinals a month ago.

Conte led Juventus to the first three titles of the club's current run then left to coach Italy through the 2016 European Championship. He coached Chelsea to the English Premier League title in 2017 but was fired by the London club in 2018 and has been out of work ever since.

Conte said recently he wants to coach again next season but without specifying where.

Allegri's final two matches with Juventus will be against Atalanta on Sunday in Turin and at Sampdoria the following weekend.