Ciro Ferrara, legendary Juventus defender and now a commentator for Dazn, drew parallels between current Juventus manager Thiago Motta and the iconic Marcello Lippi. Ferrara, who won everything with Juventus including the 1996 Champions League, offered his insights to La Gazzetta dello Sport on the team’s current European campaign and the similarities with their historic run.
When asked about the comparison between Motta’s team, which is seeking its third consecutive Champions League victory against Stuttgart, and the 1996 team that started with four straight wins, Ferrara cautiously stated, “The Bianconeri have started well, as we did. But any comparison with the 1996 Juventus depends on the final result, which makes the difference. So we have to wait.”
Ferrara sees similarities between Motta and Lippi in their style and ability to create empathy with the group. He observed, “The impression is that Motta is calm in public, but fiery in the locker room. Just like Lippi. I experienced Marcello’s anger firsthand. I don’t know Thiago, but from the outside, I imagine him to be like that.”
Recalling a pivotal moment under Lippi, Ferrara shared an anecdote from October 1994 after a 2-0 loss to Foggia. Lippi’s furious reaction led to a tactical shift that would define their future success: “From now on we start pressing high, we’d rather risk conceding goals, but I want a team that immediately takes the ball away from the opponents.”
Ferrara noted that the current Juventus under Motta shows similar compactness in team play and ball recovery. However, he’s cautious about drawing too many parallels, pointing out that the 1996 team was a well-established group coming off a league title, while the current Juventus is at the beginning of a new cycle after a summer revolution.
On Motta’s progress, Ferrara commented, “The fact of conceding few goals is very positive, especially because it’s evident that the whole team is involved in the defensive phase. But especially in midfield, he still has to find a defined structure in terms of personnel.”
Ferrara believes that the recent Champions League success in Leipzig and the hard-fought victory against Lazio could be pivotal moments for the team. He emphasizes the importance of hard-earned victories in boosting team morale.
When asked if any current Juventus player would have found space in the 1996 team, Ferrara firmly stated, “No. Maximum respect, but if our Juve won everything, it’s because something perfect had been created. I wouldn’t change anything about that team, not even the kit man.”
However, Ferrara suggests that if Motta could have one player from the 1996 team, it would be Gianluca Vialli, describing him as a “unique leader.”
On current striker Dusan Vlahovic, Ferrara advised, “We’re talking about a striker who always reaches double figures. Dusan is not in question, but he shouldn’t stop wanting to improve technically.”
Ferrara concluded with a light-hearted response to Stuttgart coach Hoeness mentioning him alongside Zidane and Del Piero as Juventus legends, joking, “He must have made a mistake… Maybe he remembers me for the goal I scored against Stuttgart with Napoli.”
