Former Parma star insists fans must be patient with Motta

Club News

November 1, 2024 - 11:00 am

Juventus fans have become increasingly restless as Thiago Motta’s start to the season is marked by inconsistency, with a surprising number of drawn matches overshadowing their strong defensive record. Motta, who was brought in to steer Juventus in a new direction after Max Allegri’s often-criticised tenure, initially generated optimism. He introduced tactical flexibility and unpredictability to Juventus’s play, adapting lineups based on players’ form rather than a set formula. This adaptability looked promising, especially when Juventus managed to remain unbeaten despite a challenging schedule. Yet, as draws pile up — six in total so far — fans are starting to question whether Motta’s approach is delivering the progress they anticipated.

Supporters expected an immediate shift from the conservative approach under Allegri, which was often criticised for yielding draws at the expense of wins. Motta, by contrast, seemed to bring the excitement of attacking variety and a commitment to form-based selections. Yet, even with his fresh ideas, Juventus has dropped critical points in games that should have been winnable, including their recent draw against Parma. Although Juventus remains undefeated in Serie A, these results have stalled their position in the standings, where they currently trail Napoli and Inter Milan. Fans now worry that Motta’s rotation and lineup experimentation may be impacting consistency and leaving Juventus unable to find a winning rhythm.

However, there are voices of reason encouraging patience. Parma legend Luigi Apolloni urged Juventus fans to trust the process, acknowledging that transformation takes time and warning against unrealistic expectations. As quoted in TuttoJuve, Apolloni stated, “The fans want results right away, but it takes time. Today the quality in Serie A is still there. I don’t think we play too much, the games are more or less the same. It’s the pace that is more intense.”

Apolloni’s perspective underscores an important point: while Juve’s unbeaten streak shows resilience, translating draws into wins will require further cohesion and adjustments from Motta. The challenge for Juventus is to establish the kind of balance that leads to consistent victories, a shift critical for fans who expect to see Juve challenging for the Serie A title.