Motta: Juventus are ‘ready for anything’ against Conceição’s Milan | OneFootball

Thiago Motta believes it won’t matter how Milan will be after changing coach and insists Juventus must simply focus on showing their ‘best version’ as they are set to meet in the Supercoppa Italiana semifinal on Friday.

The Old Lady will take on a different Rossoneri side compared to the one coached by Paulo Fonseca they faced in November, but the Italo-Brazilian tactician claimed his side will be ‘ready for anything’ as he remains ‘calm and confident’ about Juventus’ strength.

TURIN, ITALY – DECEMBER 29: Thiago Motta, Head Coach of Juventus, reacts during the Serie A match between Juventus and Fiorentina at Allianz Stadium on December 29, 2024 in Turin, Italy. (Photo by Valerio Pennicino/Getty Images)

Motta: Juventus ‘ready’ to face Milan, winning Supercoppa not my ‘obsession’

“These are great matches to play, and we want to stay at this level and compete,” Motta told reporters at a pre-match press conference in Riyadh, as quoted by Tuttomercatoweb.

“There isn’t a single player who doesn’t want to express their football on the pitch. These are beautiful moments to live through in the right way, and the emotional side must be kept under control.

“We’ll definitely be ready because we know what we need to do against a great team accustomed to important competitions. What matters most is who we are, not who they are.

“Milan’s coaching change will surely bring something new, but they already had a great manager for whom I have respect. We’re ready for anything, and that’s what matters most.

“In football, everything makes a difference, starting with small details. As I said earlier, we need to stay focused and determined to be the best version of ourselves, improve what hasn’t worked, and build on what we’ve done well.”

MILAN, ITALY – NOVEMBER 23: Tijjani Reijnders of AC Milan is challenged by Nicolo Savona of Juventus during the Serie A match between AC Milan and Juventus at Stadio Giuseppe Meazza on November 23, 2024 in Milan, Italy. (Photo by Marco Luzzani/Getty Images)

On the importance of winning a trophy for a young team and the chance to secure his first title as a manager: “First of all, I’ve never seen a team step onto the pitch to lose,” Motta said.

“Tomorrow is a different competition because it’s a knockout match—either you progress, or you’re out. We’ll give our best to move forward.

“I want to win as a coach, which is why I chose this profession. However, it’s not an obsession for me right now.

“I need to remain calm and confident in our strengths. Tomorrow we have a beautiful match ahead, with respect for our opponent and a desire to impose our game.”

The Bianconeri picked up their 11th draw from 18 Serie A outings against Fiorentina last Sunday, but their coach insists they ‘did many things well’ and ensures they will keep working with ‘maximum commitment’ to improve a situation they’re ‘not satisfied’ with.

“I agree that we haven’t been losing, but it’s not true that we never win,” said Motta.

“It’s part of the game—sometimes we’ve deserved more, and other times less. Against Fiorentina, for example, we did many things well but failed to kill off the match.

“In other games, things played out differently. It’s part of football. We’re certainly not satisfied, and the standings show we need to improve because we don’t want to remain in this position.

“However, right now, we’re focused on this short and important competition to reach the final.

“I don’t believe in promises; I believe in actions. What I can promise is maximum commitment in everything we do. We want to elevate this prestigious club, whose colours so many people support.

“We feel this support every day, which motivates us even more to do things the right way.”

MONZA, ITALY – DECEMBER 22: Weston McKennie of Juventus celebrates with teammate Kenan Yildiz after scoring his team’s first goal during the Serie A match between Monza and Juventus at U-Power Stadium on December 22, 2024 in Monza, Italy. (Photo by Marco Luzzani/Getty Images)

On the meeting between Francisco Conceição and his father, now Milan’s new manager: “We’ll see if he plays or not. He’s motivated to do well, whether from the start or coming off the bench. I don’t think it changes much for him; the only thing he needs to focus on is facing a great team.”

“Francisco has freedom within a context where certain rules must be respected for the team to function. Football is a collective game. There are moments of freedom to express his qualities, but there are many aspects to respect. Milan is a great team with good players and a new coach who can do well. We’ll give our best on the pitch.”

Teun Koopmeiners’ position is still a doubt, as he has recently been used both as a holding midfielder and a trequartista: “He can play both roles, as he has already demonstrated,” Motta explained.

“However, he could also start on the bench and contribute during the game, just like everyone else.”

On Kenan Yildiz’s room for improvement: “He’s at the beginning; he’s a young player, only 19 years old,” the manager remarked.

“He can already do impressive things because of his great qualities, but he needs to keep growing and learn to follow the coach’s instructions while drawing inspiration from many positive examples. One of them is Locatelli, whose communication with teammates is excellent.”