Despite another harrowing defeat, Thiago Motta has no plans to evacuate, and Juventus aren’t planning to wield the axe just yet.
The Bianconeri were hoping to bounce back from their humiliating 0-4 demolition at the hands of Atalanta on the previous weekend, but Fiorentina ended up piling more misery on their most hated rivals by putting three unanswered goals past an almost unrecognizable team, lacking quality, character and determination.
After the contest, Motta insisted he doesn’t plan to take the easy way out, but is hellbent on staying and trying to turn the tide in his favour.
“We need to improve how we handle difficulties, because at the first sign of a tough situation we struggle to react, and this happened again today. We need balance, both in defence and in attack, and we have to work to regain the solidity we had before,” he told the press after the contest (via the club’s official website).
“Leaving? It would be too easy, and I never choose the easy way out. Our goal remains Champions League qualification, we’ll find a way to get back to winning ways from our next game.”
Moreover, Juventus Football Director Cristiano Giuntoli chose to change his habit by speaking after the match, and he insisted the team must remain united under Motta’s tutelage.
(Photo by Francesco Pecoraro/Getty Images)
Now this situation begs the following question: Why have Juventus decided to stick with an under-fire manager who has clearly lost the plot?
Well, according to several sources in the Italian media, including Tuttosport, the answer is rather simple: Money!
As we all know by now, the Bianconeri aren’t enjoying their most prosperous years, neither from a sporting nor economic perspective. And while Motta’s first season in Turin has been miserable by all means, at least his wages remain affordable, especially compared to those of his predecessor, Max Allegri.
Nevertheless, sacking the 42-year-old would require a certain exit package for him and his squad, while a reputable replacement would almost certainly command larger wages.
Now one might argue that missing out on the Champions League would be even more costly, but that is not how the management is viewing it, at least for now.
