Juventus appoint ex-Bologna boss Thiago Motta as new manager

New Delhi,UPDATED: Jun 12, 2024 22:54 IST

Juventus has appointed former Bologna manager Thiago Motta as their new head coach, replacing Massimiliano Allegri. Motta, who led Bologna to an unexpected third-place finish in Serie A this season, has signed a three-year contract with Juventus, which will run until 2027. "Juventus is delighted to announce Thiago Motta as the new First Team head coach. The Italian-Brazilian has signed an agreement with the Club until June 30, 2027," Juventus said in a statement.

Motta's tenure at Bologna, starting in 2022, was marked by an impressive display of attacking football and the development of young talent, earning him widespread admiration. "I am really happy to begin a new chapter at the helm of a great club like Juventus," Motta told the club's website. "I thank the owners and the management, who can be sure of my ambition to keep the Juventus flag flying high and to please the fans."

Reports suggest that Juventus had been considering Motta as Allegri’s successor for the past six months. Allegri's departure came shortly after Juventus' Coppa Italia victory over Atalanta, with the club citing "certain behaviours deemed incompatible with the values of Juventus" as the reason for his dismissal.

Motta's record at Bologna speaks volumes about his abilities. He won 18 of his 37 league games this term, securing a historic Champions League qualification for the club. Bologna has not competed in Europe's elite competition since the 1964-65 season, when they were eliminated in the preliminary round by Anderlecht on penalties. Before his success with Bologna, Motta managed Spezia to Serie A survival in the 2021-22 season, although his initial managerial stint at Genoa in 2020 was brief, lasting only two months.

Born in Brazil, the former Italy international had a distinguished playing career with top clubs such as Barcelona, Paris Saint-Germain, and Inter Milan. His time at Inter Milan was particularly notable, as he was part of the squad that achieved a historic treble under José Mourinho in the 2009-10 season. In their penultimate game of the Serie A season, Motta's Bologna faced Juventus, dramatically surrendering a three-goal lead in the final 15 minutes.