Juventus Face Genoa As New Era Dawns

Juventus will have a lot of eyeballs on them this weekend as they welcome Genoa to the Allianz Stadium.

The Bianconeri sacked Thiago Motta this week, as the recent lack of results, in addition to perceived coldness on Motta’s behalf, led to his dismissal just nine months into his two-year contract.

Juventus are in grave danger of missing out on the Champions League next season after two consecutive crushing defeats, one to Atalanta 4-0 and the other to Fiorentina 3-0.

With Lazio and Bologna both hovering for the final remaining Champions League spot, it means The Old Lady cannot afford any more slip ups.

Thiago Motta had arrived to much fanfare, considering he guided Bologna to the Champions League for the first time ever last season.

Yet there appeared to be a disconnect with Juve right from the start. He remained unbeaten in the first half of the season — at least in the league — with his first defeat arriving only in late January, and away to Napoli.

Yet the club had drawn one too many games in the opening months of the season, and Motta had been accused of lacking the ruthlessness that’s needed at a club like Juve by some of the club’s former greats.

Motta was guilty of utilising players in their wrong positions, as was the case with big summer signing Teun Koopmeiners. The Dutchman was constantly shoehorned into an attacking midfield role that doesn’t bring out his best characteristics, yet Motta insisted on deploying him there.

His insistence on keeping the 4-2-3-1 system, and not deviating in order to get the best of the players he had at his disposal, was also a major bone of contention.

That rigidness cost Motta, as Juve didn’t look like a cohesive unit, nor where they playing the kind of football he was brought in for,

Reports from Italy suggest Motta’s lack of empathy, his coldness in character, also played a part in his dismissal. He fell out with the experienced Danilo and young talent Nicolo Fagioli, who was then sold by the club in January, much to the chagrin of fans.

Dusan Vlahovic and Kenan Yildiz were also on the outs with Motta, with the pair fallen down the pecking order. It was no surprise that when news of his departure spread, only winger Samuel Mbangula offered up a public show of support on Instagram, with the Belgian one of the few Motta demonstrably improved.

Igor Tudor, a man who represented The Old Lady as a player, has been brought to oversee the final string of games. Tudor has made all the right noises, about Juve getting back to their roots and rolling up sleeves is the main priority, not tactical schemes and styles of play.

Tudor has the job until July, should he get them over the finish line and into the Champions League, the club may offered him a permanent deal. But the club also has a clause in the agreement that stipulates they can look for a new manager as well, covering themselves.

Juve under Tudor could be more in line with the club’s past. Yet sacking Motta isn’t the end of Juve’s problems. Cristiano Giuntoli is under growing pressure after spending $200m last summer, and his role could be diluted this summer, with Giorgio Chiellini possibly coming back to the club.

Either way, all eyes will be on the game with Genoa, and whether Tudor can hit the ground running.