Players who might continue to struggle under Thiago Motta

September 28, 2024 - 10:00 am

Thiago Motta has ushered in a new era at Juventus, with his team showing promise at the start of the season.

The former midfielder is expected to reshape Juventus’ style of play while ensuring the Bianconeri win trophies, all while playing attractive, attacking football.

It has long been believed that these two objectives are difficult to achieve simultaneously, but Motta is confident he can strike the right balance.

Although he did not win any trophies during his time as Bologna manager, his team exceeded expectations, which earned him the Juventus job.

At the Allianz Stadium, he quickly made changes, starting with the goalkeeper, and identified several players he believes are not suited to his system.

Many players had been retained under Max Allegri’s conservative style, but with Motta’s different approach, they had to move on.

However, he has kept some players still struggling to make an impact, and a few appear destined to fail under his management.

Here in this article, we highlight a few players we expect will continue to struggle under Motta’s leadership.

Danilo

When Motta first took over as Juventus manager, he reached out to Danilo, but the defender was not a key part of his plans. Danilo rarely starts games, and with Nicolo Savona excelling at right-back and Federico Gatti performing brilliantly at centre-back, Danilo’s struggles are likely to continue until he departs the club.

Douglas Luiz

Many Juventus fans were surprised by Douglas Luiz’s difficulties, but his struggles seem set to persist. At Aston Villa, Luiz was the focal point in midfield, playing in a more advanced role. However, at Juventus, Motta is expected to make Teun Koopmeiners the centrepiece of the midfield, with the Dutchman showing the versatility needed for the role.

Luiz has struggled to form a cohesive partnership with Koopmeiners, as both players can’t have the same freedom to roam. As a result, Luiz is likely to continue facing challenges in Motta’s system.

Nicolo Fagioli

Motta didn’t seem to prioritise Nicolo Fagioli when reinforcing the midfield over the summer, and the Next Gen graduate is now struggling for playing time. A loan move, similar to Fabio Miretti’s situation, seems increasingly likely, as it’s hard to envision Fagioli getting regular minutes in this Juventus squad unless a key midfielder suffers a serious injury.

Dusan Vlahovic

Dusan Vlahovic, known as DV9, does not appear to fit well into Motta’s system, which seems better suited to a player like Joshua Zirkzee. Vlahovic is struggling to adapt, and this is a strong indication that he may not stay at the club beyond this season. His skillset doesn’t align with what Motta demands from his centre-forward, and a permanent replacement could be the best solution for both parties.