Ex-Juventus players blame Motta: ‘I hope the team stops following his instructions’ | OneFootball

Giancarlo Marocchi hopes Juventus players ‘stop following’ Thiago Motta’s instructions, while Alessio Tacchinardi wonders how long the ex-Italy international can remain at the helm.

Juventus suffered back-to-back defeats against Atalanta and Fiorentina, conceding seven goals in two games and scoring none.

Furthermore, Bologna’s 5-0 win over Lazio saw the Rossoblu leapfrog the Bianconeri into fourth place.

Juventus director Cristiano Giuntoli confirmed his trust in Motta. The coach refused to resign after Sunday’s loss in Florence, saying that stepping down at such a difficult moment would be “too easy.”

“You reach this point when the coach completely confuses you. In this fantastic sport, there are always surprises; you never know how your teammate is feeling, let alone the other team. Juve looks drained, with no answers,” ex-Juventus midfielder Marocchi told Sky Sport Italia via Calciomercato.com.

Ex-Juventus players blame Motta: ‘I hope the team stops following his instructions’

EPA PHOTO EFE/MIGUEL RIOPA/MK-hh

Marocchi sees a big responsibility from the coach.

“Emptying the players’ minds and souls is the worst thing you can do,” he said.

“By doing this, as Motta loves to do and as he did at Bologna, you weaken the team, making it incapable of reacting in difficult moments. In terms of approach, Gatti should never be left out.

“I hope the team stops following Motta’s instructions because if they continue to, we’ll keep seeing performances like this. Every Sunday, we don’t know who’s going to play. Motta may have a logical reason for his choices, but we watch the games and can see no certainties.”

Another ex-Juventus midfielder, Tacchinardi, was just as critical.

“Continuing with Thiago Motta until the end? More than ‘until the end,’ the real question is whether it’s ‘until we hurt ourselves.’ Today, I feel really disappointed,” he told SportMediaset via TMW.

“I truly believed in Thiago Motta, but he’s going through a very tough time. The lineups, the substitutions, the management of the locker room, the handling of Vlahovic, the lack of reaction. He had a whole week to prepare for this match against Fiorentina. Juve must decide if he is the right profile to secure a top-four finish. Among the teams fighting for that spot, Juventus is the best, the most expensive squad. Who would I replace him with? I don’t know, but a wake-up call is needed.”

Juventus will also play in the Club World Cup in June.

“That’s another story; they need to focus on finishing fourth, or it will be a huge financial hit,” Tacchinardi concluded.

Juventus’ next game is at home against Genoa on March 29, after the international break.

Motta is under contract at the Allianz Stadium until June 2027.