Motta: Why Koopmeiners and Vlahovic didn’t live up to Juventus expectations | OneFootball

Former Juventus head coach Thiago Motta has given his opinion as to why Teun Koopmeiners did not live up to expectations after joining the Old Lady from Atalanta in the summer, has spoken about the private messages he received from the Bianconeri squad after his sacking, and has given his verdict on the opinion-dividing Dusan Vlahovic.

The former Bianconeri head coach, who was replaced by Igor Tudor at the end of March, gave an in-depth interview to Il Corriere della Sera, published on Saturday, in which he discussed his tenure, his regrets and the relationship with his players and staff.

Among the topics of discussion was Motta’s relationship with Koopmeiners, for whom Juventus paid in excess of €60m in the summer, and Vlahovic, who was considered undroppable in the first half of the season, but then struggled to get back into the team after Randal Kolo Muani’s arrival in January.

Motta on unrealistic Koopmeiners expectations

Teun Koopmeiners arrives at JMedical ahead of permanent transfer to Juventus from Serie A side Atalanta.

Motta feels that given his price tag, Koopmeiners was ‘immediately’ met with unfair expectations, which he feels had a bigger impact than some may realise.

“In my opinion, Koop was immediately overloaded with too many expectations. The high cost of his purchase weighed heavily. In these situations, the expectations increase and have more of an effect on the player than you’d think. But I’m sure he will be able to do better and better.

“He’s a high-level player, he’s a player that always played well for Atalanta and his national team last year. I’m convinced that when he finds balance and the expectations go to a normal level, he will return to his usual levels.

“He needs to adapt to his role in the dressing room and on the pitch, but he will always improve because he’s a very good player. He’s also a good guy, who works really hard and I’m sure he’ll give a lot to this team.”

Motta on messages he received from Juventus squad

Only a small selection of Juventus players sent Motta a public message after his sacking, but the coach insists that social media ‘alters reality’ and that he in fact received well wishes from several first-team players in private.

TURIN, ITALY – MARCH 03: Thiago Motta, Head Coach of Juventus, looks on prior to the Serie A match between Juventus and Verona at Allianz Stadium on March 03, 2025 in Turin, Italy. (Photo by Valerio Pennicino/Getty Images)

Asked if he was hurt that there was no public message or thanks from Koopmeiners after his sacking, particularly given how much the coach defended the Dutchman in the press, Motta replied: “No, like it or not, I always try to be consistent in my way of acting. If I see a player with commitment, dedication, a desire to help the team, I will always defend him. And I don’t look for anything in return, not even messages on social media.

“Social media alters reality. Today, if something is not said publicly, it seems like it hasn’t happened, or isn’t true. In reality, the messages I received from players privately are true, and meaningful. Many of them did. They’re nice thoughts, because they express a feeling of gratitude for what we did together.

“There were many, not just Koop, many other guys wrote to me, even those with whom I was maybe a bit more strict.”

Motta on overusing Vlahovic: ‘He deserved it, he always worked well’

For the first half of the 2024-25 campaign, Vlahovic was the only fit and available centre-forward in the senior squad, which meant that he played practically every game he was available for, before Kolo Muani came in from PSG in January, which changed things entirely.

“Dusan played a lot, some say too much, but he deserved it because he always worked well,” Motta said.

TURIN, ITALY – DECEMBER 17: Dusan Vlahovic of Juventus celebrates scoring his team’s first goal during the Coppa Italia match between Juventus FC and Cagliari Calcio at Allianz Stadium on December 17, 2024 in Turin, Italy. (Photo by Valerio Pennicino/Getty Images)

“Sometimes he couldn’t play because he had injuries that kept him out for ten days. He’s a smart guy, capable of discussing and sharing opinions.

“The relationship with him was good, but at the same time it’s normal to feel affected depending on whether you get on the pitch or not. Dusan wasn’t happy when he didn’t play, but he always had respect for my decisions. He continued to work hard and when he came on the pitch he did his best, trying to help the team.”