Thiago Motta was appointed as Juventus manager on the strength of his impressive work at Bologna, and the club placed considerable trust in him to lead a period of transition. Expectations were high that he would oversee a transformation of the squad and restore Juventus to their former competitive standards.
Despite Juventus’ reputation as one of the elite clubs in world football, the three-year period under Max Allegri was widely seen as a time of underachievement. As a result, both supporters and board members welcomed Motta’s arrival, hopeful that his modern ideas would inject new life into the team. However, there may have been a miscalculation in assuming that success at Bologna could be easily replicated at a club with the stature and demands of Juventus.
At the Allianz Stadium, Motta attempted to implement significant changes, both tactically and in terms of personnel. Some of his decisions were considered questionable and, rather than elevating the team’s performance, they appeared to draw them closer to disappointment than success. A key criticism was his apparent disregard for Juventus’ well-established culture of winning. Unlike many who have taken charge of the club in the past, Motta had never worn the Juventus shirt as a player, and this lack of internal experience may have contributed to a disconnect with the expectations surrounding the role.
Fabio Viviani has since offered his perspective on Motta’s tenure. Reflecting on the challenges faced, he noted the importance of understanding Juventus’ identity. As quoted by Tuttomercatoweb, Viviani stated:
“Juventus has a very specific DNA, built over a hundred years of history. It occurs to me that this has a strong influence. It’s the same argument that could be made for Real Madrid. They are teams with their own identity, a winning history, and also with particular players.
“For this reason, sometimes, it is more complicated to change philosophy. This year, in particular, we tried to change, to rejuvenate, but to do this we needed time, which Thiago Motta was not given. In Turin, however, they do not give time to anyone: coming in second, for Juventus, is already a problem. The pressure is immediate.”
In retrospect, the decision to entrust Motta with the managerial role appears to have been a misjudgement. His unfamiliarity with the club’s values and the high-pressure environment made success difficult to achieve, and ultimately, his appointment did not deliver the results the Bianconeri had hoped for.
