Following Juventus’ 2-2 draw against Venezia, head coach Thiago Motta shared his thoughts on the team’s performance and addressed several key issues. Despite not being on the sideline due to a suspension from the previous match against Bologna, Motta spoke to Sky Sport after the game.
Motta expressed disappointment with the team’s showing, stating, “We didn’t put in a good performance. We need to do better, even though this has nothing to do with the City game. Every match has its own story, and today we can’t be satisfied with either the performance or the result.”
Regarding the team’s management of the lead, Motta acknowledged recent struggles: “Usually we handle it well, but lately, not so much. That’s where we need to make the leap. We took a 1-0 lead, and we should have continued attacking to close out the game, but we allowed the opponent back into it.”
The coach also addressed the post-match incident involving Dusan Vlahovic and some fans. “The fans have the freedom to express their emotions and feelings. At the end of the match, the player himself is the first one who wants to win. At that moment, even more so. It’s not the first time and won’t be the last; these things happen. We need to stay united and move forward. We all want to change the situation, including the player. The fans have every right to express themselves, but this is a moment where we need to change this situation together.”
On the team’s lack of consistency, Motta remarked, “This is our reality. There are no excuses for what we’re going through, but it’s normal that in open games, today is different. This isn’t a justification, but our reality that we want to improve because we don’t want to remain where we are at this moment. The player must have the confidence to go and close out the game, not just manage it.”
When asked about the positioning of Koopmeiners and McKennie, Motta defended his choices: “I see them every day, I see how they work together, and today, for me, they needed to play this way. Our characteristic isn’t that one plays in the attacking midfield and stays there; that’s only on paper. There are many movements that need to be made.”
In response to Motta’s explanations, Sky commentator Giancarlo Marocchi offered his analysis: “You can’t expect McKennie to play like Locatelli, considering you’ve even used him as a striker. He can do everything for 10 minutes, but he can’t guide the team. Koopmeiners can do that. Motta sees them in training, but we see the matches, and that’s enough for us.”
