Why Thiago Motta will play Nico Gonzalez as attacking midfielder instead of Yildiz | OneFootball

Juventus coach Thiago Motta will field Nicolas Gonzalez as an attacking midfielder against Monza while Kenan Yildiz will resume his duties on the left wing.

The Bianconeri won’t accept anything less than three points from tonight’s contest at the U-Power Stadium, especially after settling for draws in their previous four Serie A fixtures. Therefore, Motta is expected to field an ultra-attacking lineup, with three attacking players supporting Dusan Vlahovic, while Teun Koopmeiners starts in a deeper role than usual, forming the double pivot with Manuel Locatelli.

Almost all sources expect Francisco Conceicao to start on the right wing, with Yildiz on the left, and Gonzalez playing in the hole in what will be his first start in almost three months. The Argentine made his return to action in Tuesday’s Coppa Italia tie against Cagliari, marking it with a stunning goal.

(Photo by Valerio Pennicino/Getty Images)

Nevertheless, a section of fans and observers were left perplexed by Motta’s choices, as they prefer to see Gonzalez play in his original role on the wings, and Yildiz being fielded as a Number 10, which many believe is his most suitable role.

But as IlBianconero explains, there are several reasons behind Motta’s choice, beginning with the teenager’s outing against Cagliari. The manager was reportedly unimpressed with the Turkiye international in the central role, so he prefers to play him on the wings.

On the other hand, Motta feels Gonzalez has the experience and composure to maintain possession and prevent counterattacks from dangerous positions, so he’s deemed a safer choice for this particular role.

Moreover, the Motta expects his wingers to track back to support their teammates in the defensive phase, something that Yildiz has managed to do thus far, while the recently returning Gonzalez might not have too much energy to burn at this stage.