Ex-Juventus player sees ‘lesson’ in Motta’s sacking and ‘too much power’ to Giuntoli | OneFootball

Former Juventus winger Massimo Mauro feels Cristiano Giuntoli has had ‘too much power’ but sees a lesson in Thiago Motta’s sacking: the club’s history must be ‘respected.’

Juventus sacked Motta on Sunday and hired Igor Tudor for the last nine games of the campaign.

Juventus invested over €200m in new signings across the last two transfer windows, but the Bianconeri find themselves fifth in the Serie A table and already out of Coppa Italia and Champions League.

“I saved Giuntoli and Motta’s summer idea of trying to win with a different playing style, but the execution was a complete failure,” Mauro, a former Juventus winger, told Gazzetta.

“The lesson is that Juventus’ history must be respected. Sarri won the Scudetto and was fired after one year, and Pirlo was sacked despite finishing fourth and winning Coppa Italia and Supercoppa. Now Thiago hasn’t even finished the season.”

Ex-Juventus player sees ‘lesson’ in Motta’s sacking and ‘too much power’ to Giuntoli

MILAN, ITALY – MAY 19: Igor Tudor, Head Coach of SS Lazio, gestures during the Serie A TIM match between FC Internazionale and SS Lazio at Stadio Giuseppe Meazza on May 19, 2024 in Milan, Italy. (Photo by Marco Luzzani/Getty Images)

Tudor has nine games to partially save the Juventus season and achieve a top-four finish which would allow the Bianconeri to play in the Champions League in 2025-26.

“I’m optimistic; things can’t get any worse for Juventus,” Mauro argued.

“I would tell Tudor one thing: ensure the players take responsibility.”

How about Giuntoli?

“I’d be more disappointed than anyone,” Mauro argued.

“He chose Thiago, and by deciding to let him go, he admitted a mistake. It was more about the management than the players. Too much power was given to a single person. In three months, Giuntoli has had the entire Juventus in his hands.”

Tudor has signed a contract until the end of the season, and there are already rumours that Juventus want to bring Antonio Conte back to the Allianz Stadium in 2025-26.

“Juventus is Antonio’s home, so I can see him return,” said Mauro.

“However, Conte has shown that he can achieve results anywhere in Italy and Europe.

“Surely, Motta was unlucky, especially with injuries, especially Bremer’s,” Mauro concluded.

“He had all sorts of challenges, and the players were primarily responsible.”