Blow for Juventus as Real Sociedad choose their next manager | OneFootball

Juventus were hoping for a helping hand from Real Sociedad in their quest to cut Thiago Motta off the payroll, but were left disappointed once again.

The 42-year-old signed a three-year deal with the Bianconeri in the summer of 2024 with a net salary of €3.5 million, but he was relieved from his duties just eight months into his spell.

However, the Serie A giants must still cover the wages of the manager and his technical collaborators, as their contracts are still running.

Real Sociedad choose Pellegrino Matarazzo instead of Thiago Motta

When Juventus made the decision to sack Motta and his associates, the club announced that it had allocated €16.3 million to cover the expenses of their contracts until June 2027.

But in the meantime, the management has been hoping for a contract termination that would cut the losses. However, Motta and Co. would only realistically rescind their contracts if they decide to join another club before June 2027.

(Photo by Gabriele Maltinti/Getty Images)

On Sunday, Juventus were handed a shred of hope on this front when Motta emerged as one of the frontrunners for the vacancy at Sociedad.

The Basque club sacked Sergio Francisco just five months after promoting him from the B side to the first team. The 46-year-old paid the price for the poor start to the season.

But according to reports from Spain (via IlBianconero), Sociedad have instead chosen Pellegrino Matarazzo, who has been the other leading candidate in the race. The American manager had previous spells at Hoffenheim and Stuttgart.

Juventus still paying the salaries of Motta & Igor Tudor

In recent months, reports have reiterated Motta’s desire to avoid a hasty decision, preferring to patiently await a project that truly suits his desires.

In the meantime, Juventus will continue to pay the salaries of three head coaches, having also sacked Motta’s replacement, Igor Tudor, in October, and replaced him with Luciano Spalletti.