“All mine” – Thiago Motta takes responsibility for Juventus midfielder’s uninspiring displays | OneFootball

Juventus coach Thiago Motta insists it’s his fault that Teun Koopmeiners hasn’t been able to hit his stride this season.

The Bianconeri spent almost eight months chasing the Dutchman while the stubborn Atalanta refused to drop their asking price. In the end, the Old Lady obliged, paying circa 60 million euros to secure the player’s signature towards the end of the summer transfer session.

However, fans and observers have been left to wonder whatever happened to the midfielder who stole the limelight in Bergamo over the past few years. The 26-year-old’s current version has been described as a distant relative to the real Koopmeiners.

The Netherlands international has only scored a single goal across all competitions this season, which ensued in last week’s 2-2 draw against Bologna.

But while Juventus fans were hoping that would spark an upturn in the player’s levels, Koopmeiners disappointed once again in Saturday’s miserable 2-2 draw against Venezia. The technical staff led by Alexander Hageux (in Motta’s absence) hauled the Dutchman off early in the second half in favor of Douglas Luiz, proving he’s no longer untouchable.

Nevertheless, Motta jumped to his player’s defense, assuming full responsibility for his underwhelming form. The Italian Brazilian believes he should find a solution that allows the midfielder to express his best football

“The responsibility is all mine, said the 42-year-old in his post-match press conference via IlBianconero.

“I have to put him in a better condition so he can play better and express his real level. He is a great player and for me, it is important to have him.”

Koopmeiners has been operating as an attacking midfielder behind Dusan Vlahovic in Motta’s 4-2-3-1 formation, and some suggest the player’s position is too high on the pitch, so he hasn’t been able to showcase his playmaking abilities in the middle of the park.