While fans and pundits might disagree on the amount of responsibility that falls on the manager’s shoulders, at least most would agree Thiago Motta could have done better when it comes to managing the second leg against PSV Eindhoven.
Juventus headed to the Netherlands with a slim yet important advantage in hand having won the first leg of the Champions League play-off round at home by two goals to one. But while the first half went smoothly, the game plan collapsed after the break, especially with the Dutch raising the tempo.
Peter Bosz’s men went on to claim a 2-1 win after 90 minutes before confirming their superiority in extra-time and qualifying with a 4-3 score on aggregate.
Therefore, La Gazzetta dello Sport journalist Fabio Russo identifies five tactical blunders Motta commited during the contest.
First of all, the source notes how PSV are excellent at going forward, but can be shaky at the back. Therefore, Juventus would have probably found success had they been more adventurous, but instead decided to sit back and invite their opponents into their own area.
Russo also wondered why Motta didn’t start with Yildiz who should have been fresh after only featuring for a cameo against Inter on Sunday. He also decided to drop Khephren Thuram in favour of Teun Koopmeiners who had a fever by his own admission.
The former Bologna coach was also hesitant with his substitutions, which was also noted by Paolo Di Canio who described him as confused, especially after delaying the entree of Thuram and Samuel Mbangula.
On another note, the journalist blames the Juventus technical staff for the players’ athletic condition, as they failed to keep up with PSV’s pace in the second half. Moreover, Russo suggests Veiga’s playing time could have been managed better, as his constant appearances may have played a role in his injury.
Finally, the columnist notes the Bianconeri remain psychologically feeble as they once again squandered the lead, so he believes Motta has so far failed to insert mental toughness within the team.
