Thiago Motta sees glass half full but wants ‘more aggressive’ Juventus | OneFootball

Juventus coach Thiago Motta feels the Bianconeri should have been more aggressive against Torino, but insists they’ve only lost two games from 27 with a ‘young squad and many injuries.’

Juventus collected a 1-1 draw against Torino on Saturday. It was their 12th stalemate in 19 Serie A games this term and even if Juventus are still unbeaten in Serie A, they will drop to 6th place on Monday if Fiorentina beat Monza.

Juventus produced 21 shots against Torino but were still unable to win the game. The Bianconeri have also lost 12 points from winning position this season.

“We started off very well, and in fact, we took the lead,” Motta told DAZN.

“After that, we tracked back, allowing Torino to create dangerous chances with long passes. We should have been more aggressive in the build-up to their goal. We entered the pitch well in the second half. We dominated and had chances, but we were not clinical, so we had a draw today.

Thiago Motta sees glass half full but wants ‘more aggressive’ Juventus

TURIN, ITALY – JANUARY 11: Thiago Motta, Head Coach of Juventus, interacts with Paolo Vanoli, Head Coach of Torino, prior to the Serie A match between Torino and Juventus at Stadio Olimpico di Torino on January 11, 2025 in Turin, Italy. (Photo by Valerio Pennicino/Getty Images)

“Allowing opponents to kick the ball inside our box is always dangerous,” insisted Motta.

“We conceded a goal in a situation where we should have been more aggressive, and the Torino player [Nikola Vlasic] found the only possible space for the ball to pass, so well done to him. As I said, we did much better than Torino in the second half, but the finishing was not good enough.”

Vlasic scored the Torino equaliser seconds before the half-time break, so what did Motta tell his players inside the dressing room?

“I said we should move forward so we wouldn’t leave space for the opponents. We did so in the second half and did much better, with chances to get the lead again.

“Surely, we’ve had too many draws, especially because we took the lead in some games. At the same time, Juventus only lost two games from 27, with a very young team and some injuries,” Motta added.

“It’s never been an excuse. Now, we must recover after a significant physical effort and focus on Tuesday’s game at Atalanta.”

Douglas Luiz started the fourth Serie A game this season, while Andrea Cambiaso was introduced as a substitute in the second half, given that he is still not fully fit.

“I think Douglas’ performance was excellent. I am very satisfied,” said Motta.

“We need as many fit players as possible to manage the team in many games.

“After his injury against Bologna, Cambiaso has struggled to return to the team. I must thank him because he’s taking painkilling injections to play and train with us. Hopefully, he will get back in shape as soon as possible to help the team raise the bar.”

Juventus’ next Serie A game is against Atalanta on Tuesday, while the Bianconeri will host Milan at the Allianz Stadium on January 18.