Thiago Motta`s time as Juventus manager has come to an end. The club has dismissed him before the current season concluded and announced Igor Tudor, formerly of Lazio, as the new coach until the end of the season. Cristiano Giuntoli, Juventus` sporting director, identified Tudor as the replacement after Motta`s departure.
Juventus released a statement on Sunday confirming the change: `Juventus Football Club announces the removal of Thiago Motta from his position as First Team coach. We thank Thiago Motta and his staff for their professionalism and hard work during their time with us. We wish them well in their future endeavors. Juventus also announces Igor Tudor as the new First Team coach, who will start his duties on Monday, March 24th.`
Igor Tudor is familiar with Juventus, having played for the club and served as Andrea Pirlo`s assistant coach in the 2020-21 season. Before returning to Juventus, he coached Hellas Verona, Olympique Marseille, and briefly Lazio after Maurizio Sarri`s resignation. Despite initially planning a longer tenure with Lazio, Tudor left after three months, and Lazio later hired Marco Baroni as their head coach for the summer of 2024.
Motta`s appointment at Juventus, intended to usher in a new era after Massimiliano Allegri`s exit, did not meet expectations. Despite still competing for a Champions League spot, Juventus was eliminated from the Coppa Italia by Empoli and from the UEFA Champions League playoffs by PSV Eindhoven.
Beyond results, Motta struggled to replicate the exciting football style he implemented at Bologna last season, where he led the team to their first-ever Champions League qualification. Reports also suggest that some key players, including Dusan Vlahovic and Kenan Yildiz, were dissatisfied with his coaching.
Igor Tudor`s first match as Juventus coach will be next week against Genoa in Turin, following the international break. His contract is set to last until at least the end of the FIFA Club World Cup, where Juventus will compete against Manchester City, Wydad Casablanca, and Al-Ain in the group stage. Juventus` recent Serie A performances, conceding seven goals and scoring none in the last two games against Fiorentina and Atalanta, including a 4-0 home defeat to Atalanta (their worst home loss since 1967), significantly strained the relationship between the fans and Motta, prompting the club`s decision to make an early coaching change.
