Motta confirms Juventus injuries and outlines Atalanta difficulty: ‘Very special team’ | OneFootball

Thiago Motta has confirmed that seven players will be unavailable for Juventus’s upcoming Serie A test against Atalanta, and has explained how the Bianconeri squad have approached the top-four clash after a run of five consecutive victories in the league.

Juventus, currently fourth in Serie A, will host third-placed Atalanta at the Allianz Stadium on Sunday, which brings an opportunity for the Old Lady to draw level on points with La Dea.

After a 2-1 loss to Napoli at the end of January, Juventus have been on a five-game winning streak in Serie A, inflicting defeats upon Empoli, Como, Inter, Cagliari and Hellas Verona.

TURIN, ITALY – MARCH 03: Teun Koopmeiners of Juventus celebrates scoring his team’s second goal with teammate Khephren Thuram during the Serie A match between Juventus and Verona at Allianz Stadium on March 03, 2025 in Turin, Italy. (Photo by Valerio Pennicino/Getty Images)

Motta confirms Juventus absences and Atalanta approach

Speaking at his pre-match press conference on Saturday, Thiago Motta told reporters that he feels his side are doing ‘very, very well’.

He also confirmed which players will be unavailable against Atalanta. It’s a case of one in, one out for the Bianconeri, as Renato Veiga is available again, but youngster Jonas Rouhi joins the injury list.

“We had a great week. I’ve seen the guys looking very, very well,” Motta told the press. “Those who will be with us tomorrow will be ready to have a good game. Tomorrow, there will be no Rouhi, Bremer, Milik, Cabal, Douglas Luiz, Conceicao or Savona.”

Renato Veiga of Juventus gestures at the end of the Serie A match between Juventus and Empoli at Allianz Stadium on February 02, 2025 in Turin, Italy. (Photo by Valerio Pennicino/Getty Images)

Motta also confirmed that the Juventus squad have been working on their psychological strength as well as their technical and tactical attributes.

“As always, we are focussed on the next game because we know the level of our opponent. We can’t waste energy on anything else. We have to put everything we’ve worked on into practice in order to get a victory.

“We’ve worked on a physical, technical and psychological level. We have to think about giving our absolute best for this match. We don’t want to waste time on other things. My philosophy is to take things game by game.”

Assessing Atalanta, Motta added: “They are a very special team in terms of the characteristics of their players and the instructions of their coach. They also have the ability to change their marking during the game. They are a team that plays very good football.”

Thiago Motta on Koopmeiners, Yildiz and Juventus form

It will be a particularly memorable occasion for Teun Koopmeiners, who will be going up against his former employers on Saturday. The Dutchman has come under criticism for some underwhelming performances after his €60m move in the summer, but he has the full support of his coach.

Teun Koopmeiners of Juventus after the Serie A match between Lecce and Juventus at Stadio Via del Mare on December 01, 2024 in Lecce, Italy. (Photo by Maurizio Lagana/Getty Images)

“I always think he’s doing well. He’s given us a big hand this season. Criticism will always be a part of this job. He came on and did very well in the last game and also scored. I’m very happy for him, because we live to score goals. He always helps the team and is a very important guy on and off the pitch,” Motta said.

“It’s a privilege to coach a player of this level. He’s a serious, focussed guy who can play in multiple positions. I hope tomorrow can be a help to him.”

And on Yildiz, he added: “Kenan is fine and has to continue improving in all aspects. He’s still very young and there is a lot of room for improvement, but he knows that.”

Kenan Yildiz of Juventus looks on during the Serie A match between Lecce and Juventus at Stadio Via del Mare on December 01, 2024 in Lecce, Italy. (Photo by Maurizio Lagana/Getty Images)

Asked if he has a favourite performance from Juventus’s recent run of five, Motta replied: “There is no preference, because we always like to win. If you play well, you have more chances to win. Sometimes it can be the case that you don’t play well and still win.

“You have to do a lot of things right to get a victory. Tomorrow, we’ll have to play against a unique team and will have to be focussed. My preference is to win the game.”

There was also a word of praise for Gian Piero Gasperini. Motta says that he has endless respect for his Atalanta counterpart: “Because he’s a great coach, not just on a national level. Gasperini doesn’t have to prove anything anymore because he’s already shown a lot. He’s a complete tactician and has done a great job.”