Turin, Italy – March 3: Juventus head coach Thiago Motta watches before a Serie A match between Juventus and Verona at Allianz Stadium on March 3, 2025 in Turin, Italy. (Photo: Valerio Pennicino/Getty Images)
Thiago Motta admitted he would change “a lot,” but claimed he was fired by Juventus when his team was only one point away from what the club considered a “priority target” at the start of the season.
Motta spoke in a lengthy interview with Il Corriere Della Sera less than two weeks after Bianconeri’s firing, lamenting that he was subjected to an “unacceptable” personal attack that questioned his relationship with the player.
Instead, he said he had a “good” relationship with everyone in the locker room, claiming that calling his time at the club “failure” was unfair.
“It’s difficult to analyze and very close to what happened,” Thiago Motta said when asked why his experience at Allianz Stadium ended prematurely.
“I’m certainly disappointed because it didn’t go as we wanted, especially in the Coppa Italia and the Champions League. But I don’t agree when I hear about the failure. Our job was interrupted when I came in fourth in the rankings that were our main goal at the beginning of the season.
“When I embraced this role with great enthusiasm, I knew it would be a three-year project, based on the deep revolution of the team and its radical rejuvenation.
“We know very well that clubs at Juventus’ level need to win, especially a few years after this didn’t happen. The project was something we didn’t want or imagined.”
Motta: “Anyone who says I have a Juventus player against me is a liar.”
Bianconoli’s decision to replace Motta with Igor Tudor during the international break clashed in one way or another with the club’s official statement, but the former Bologna boss has accepted that “winning is essential” for the old lady, as he paid the price for two consecutive, intense defeats against Atalanta and Fioretina.
“Publicly, they expressed their trust and indications that they would continue the project,” he continued.
“These are important signals and ultimately give us a sense of security and motivation to continue working. We’ve always believed we’d continue to push to end the season by securing fourth place and playing in the Champions League.
“But I know football. At a big club like Juventus, winning is essential, and it didn’t work, especially in the last two games.
Motta definitely admits that he can “change,” but he believes it’s a mistake to throw away all the work they did.
“We’ve done a lot of things well, but there’s definitely a lot to change,” the coach admitted.
“I’ve always analysed what went wrong, but I always think that even after a victory, something could change, like game strategy, alternatives, choices, starting players.
“Just because you win doesn’t mean everything is perfect, there is a lot of work I will start over.
“In the last two games, we played so badly, I certainly change my choices.
“People who are not rogs have not denied their mistakes, but I do not accept that all the work we have done is being abandoned.
“A whole new team suffering from injuries was about to reach the set goals. But I accept the club’s decision and hope for the best thing for Juventus.”
Ultimately, being criticized for his lack of empathy for his players is what hurts Motta the most.
“These are what bothers me. People can criticize me as a coach for my choice, so I accept it. But anyone who says I have a locker room against me is a liar,” Motta argued.
“These are unacceptable. That’s not true. No one I’ve worked with in my career has publicly said I have a problem with.
“At Juventus, I had great relationships with all the players, both professionally and personally. It’s based on respect and clarity. I might not be very happy to play. I wasn’t a player either.
“I think people who aren’t playing today have shown that fitness and how they train can do so later. During this period, not only is it always worth considering, but personal attacks have had to listen, not just technical criticism.
“My relationship with players and teams was amazing and these guys always gave everything and always did their best, so I found this way to act in this rog-arrogant and vulgar shadow.
“I judge me as a coach and criticize my choices on the field, my choice of players, my tactics. It has something to do with football I accept and always accept. In fact, these analyses make me grow. But I don’t accept personal attacks based on gossip.”
Motta also explained that the sadness he felt during his final visit to Juventus’ training centre came from his belief that things “go differently.”
“When I accepted this job, I was sad because I imagined it would go differently,” he added.
“But it was a great experience both professionally and personally. Now I enjoy my time with my family because when I’m coaching, my family doesn’t want to change schools for girls, so my family is staying in Portugal.
“It’s a privilege to be with them in such a negative moment. But I’m ready to embrace another project, continue my work and go back to do my best in the next chapter.”
Post navigation
