Thiago Motta: ‘Juventus have solidity and strength, Vlahovic always gives his best’ | OneFootball

Thiago Motta believes that Juventus will have to be at their dynamic best against RB Leipzig in the Champions League on Wednesday night, but is pleased with the team’s defensive output and insists that Dusan Vlahovic is always ready to give his best for the team.

The Bianconeri will face RB Leipzig in Germany in the second round of Champions League fixtures on Wednesday night, kicking off at 20.00 BST.

Motta on Juventus defence, needs against Leipzig and player selection

Juventus and RB Leipzig have the two best defensive records of any teams in the top five divisions in Europe so far this season. Despite that, Motta expects an open, end-to-end affair against an energetic Leipzig side.

The coach said that he expects: “A good, open match against a competitive team that plays good football and applies good pressure. We need to give continuity to our game and control the match. When we have the ball, we need to attack well and put them under pressure.”

Juve have now gone 540 minutes without conceding a goal in Serie A. They had never previously gone the first six games of a league season without letting any in.

Expanding on Juve’s defensive success so far this term, Motta added: “The data means a lot, it means we have solidity. Tomorrow we will need a good, complete performance, we have to play good football. To play well tomorrow, we have to play good football, use the ball well, use our quality and do well in the defensive phases, as we have done up until today.

On the strength of the squad, Motta said: “Everyone can bring us something. You mentioned all the strong players: When they play together, they become even stronger. Koopmeiners has a lot of freedom in our team, Andrea (Cambiaso) too, because he can play as a midfielder, full-back or winger.

“These are players who can play in multiple roles and this is an advantage for us. We’ll see how we make the most of it on the pitch.

“Khephren has great technical quality, Wes is the same. We’ll see if they start tomorrow. Whoever plays, whoever comes on, whether it’s 10, 45 or 95, everyone is capable of being decisive.”

Motta insists that he does not have two ‘separate’ teams for Serie A and cup competitions, insisting that everyone has a role to play in what is a relatively small senior squad.

“It’s not a question of cups or leagues, all matches are different. It depends on how we have to face the given opponent. One thing is for certain: We don’t want to suffer against the opposition. We will always try to control the game. Sometimes we get that, sometimes not.

“We have already shown that we are compact in recovery, counter-attacks or after losing possession. A team has to be complete, have a strong leadership, but all the others have to know how to succeed as well.”

Well wishes for Vlahovic and Bologna

Dusan Vlahovic ended his minor goal drought with a brace against Genoa over the weekend. Motta is pleased with what he has seen from the Serbian all season.

“He’s been fine since the first day of the training camp. It’s obvious that scoring is important for all strikers, but football isn’t just about that. He’s very committed, always gives his best in training and in matches. He has to continue working as he has been.

“Dusan has the freedom to remove that target from the opponent, we’ve never asked him to be immobile. This is why we always play as a team, connected, to understand what to do to help our teammates. Football is dynamic, we have to be a dynamic team.”

Motta also had a word for his former team Bologna, who will be playing away against Liverpool in the Champions League on Wednesday evening.

“I hope Bologna win, but I’m only focused on Juve. We have a big match and we have to be at our best. We have to perform well to get the best result.