Thiago Motta: ‘Juventus running out of steam, Yildiz can play central’ | OneFootball

Thiago Motta admits Juventus were ‘running out of steam’ when conceding a last-gasp Lecce equaliser and explains why he is not using Kenan Yildiz as a centre-forward.

This has not been a normal day in Italian football, as Fiorentina-Inter was called off just hours before this game following the collapse of Edoardo Bove, who was rushed to hospital and regained consciousness there.

“It’s so worrying for the lad, his teammates and his family. I put myself in the shoes of his parents and it must be terrible. I hope he recovers as quickly as possible and I send all my love to the player, but above all his family. Seeing those images on TV must’ve been awful,” Thiago Motta told DAZN.

Juventus were decimated by injuries and unable to rotate after the midweek 0-0 Champions League draw away to Aston Villa, but had still taken the lead at the Stadio Via del Mare through a deflected Andrea Cambiaso effort after hitting the woodwork twice with Khephren Thuram and Francisco Conceicao.

However, they were increasingly pinned back as the game wore on and conceded a 93rd-minute equaliser from veteran Ante Rebic.

Thiago Motta had limited Juventus options

LECCE, ITALY – DECEMBER 01: Federico Baschirotto of Lecce competes for the ball with Francisco Conceicao of Juventus during the Serie A match between Lecce and Juventus at Stadio Via del Mare on December 01, 2024 in Lecce, Italy. (Photo by Maurizio Lagana/Getty Images)

“We saw in the second half that the team was running out of steam and we knew that was a possibility. We played well in the first half, took the lead and then conceded at the end. We must keep going, learn from our mistakes and prepare for the next match,” added Thiago Motta.

Although he likes his men to play out from the back, Cambiaso perhaps picked the wrong pass when leading to the Lecce equaliser.

“Andrea made the decision to go forward, but goals are usually down to a series of small errors. As I said, Lecce emerged as time wore on and conceding a goal that late was something we could’ve avoided,” continued Motta.

“We’ve got to improve, learn certain things and keep thinking positive. We need to prepare for the next match both physically and mentally.”

With Dusan Vlahovic injured and no available strikers, Juve have tested out Teun Koopmeiners, Weston McKennie and Tim Weah there, but so far not Kenan Yildiz. Does Thiago Motta think he does not suit a centre-forward role?

“He can play there and he did for a spell against Lille. Clearly, when against a team that tries to defend deep, we need Yildiz and Conceicao to break them down on the wings to get into the box in those dangerous areas. It is different when he is already there, at the moment I see him better getting into those positions rather than already being there.

“Kenan is able to do both, but this is what I decided today, as he gives us good depth and width. In the first half especially, he wandered a little bit too much out of his position against a side that wasn’t pressing that hard, we talked about it and he improved in the second half.”

This is the third consecutive stalemate in all competition for Juventus, but also sees them slide further away from the top of the Serie A table, now six points adrift of Napoli.

They might be unbeaten in the top flight this season, but this was their eighth draw in 14 rounds.