Football Italia
·20 February 2025
Thiago Motta under scrutiny after Juventus’ Champions League exit – report
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·20 February 2025
Juventus have failed to reach their minimum Champions League target by facing elimination in the knockout playoff, and according to Gazzetta, coach Thiago Motta will be ‘under scrutiny’ until the end of the season.
The Bianconeri lost 3-1 to PSV on Wednesday night and were eliminated from the Champions League playoff with a 4-3 aggregate defeat.
Reaching the Champions League Round of 16 was the minimum target for the Old Lady and so, according to Gazzetta, Motta will be under scrutiny until the end of the season.
epa11889266 Juventus coach Thiago Motta looks on during the UEFA Champions League play-offs first leg soccer match between Juventus FC and PSV Eindhoven, in Turin, Italy, 11 February 2025. EPA-EFE/ALESSANDRO DI MARCO
The Bianconeri already failed to reach the Supercoppa Final this season by losing to Milan in the semis in January.
They are still in the Coppa Italia quarter-finals and sit fourth in Serie A, level on 46 points with Lazio.
Motta signed a three-year contract in Turin last summer, and despite the club’s public support, he must secure Champions League qualification this term to remain at the helm in 2025-26.
The ex-Italy international defended his tactical decisions last night.
“I don’t believe I was late in my changes. Before the opening goal,” he said.
“I wanted to give a bit more energy to the squad, but then we equalised and that was a moment we had to calm things down and retain the balance. I believe I made my changes at the right time.”
Source: Gazzetta dello Sport newspaper, February 20, 2025, page four.