Thiago Motta has kicked off his Juventus tenure in style, winning by three unanswered goals for the second week in a row, this time at Verona’s expense.
The Bianconeri displayed slick and neat football as they dominated the action at the Bentegodi almost from start to finish.
Dusan Vlahovic was the ultimate star of the show thanks to a personal brace, while Nicolo Savona earned his maiden Serie A debut on his full debut.
After the contest, Motta admitted that his style of play can be risky, especially when it comes to counter-pressing. However, it can be highly rewarding, as he explained.
“Pressing the opponent naturally comes with risks because you have to open up, but if you do it right, you can win the ball back when the opponent is exposed, giving you the advantage of finishing the action quickly,” said the 42-year-old in his post-match interview as published by the club’s official website.
“Congratulations to all the guys—Dusan scored, but credit goes to everyone because they pressed well and we got the goal.
“These are strong players with great talent and quality. We help them step onto the field in the best conditions to express their abilities, but they are high-level players who, when they play together like this, show the difference they can make.”
Motta also revealed how his team changed its stance during the match while adjusting to the opponent.
“Attitude is very important, as is reading the game. At the beginning of the match, they were waiting for us, looking to capitalize on our mistakes with quick counterattacks.
“But when they came to press us, we went deep, and we have plenty of players who can do that. This approach is great to see.”
Finally, the Juventus coach paid tribute to the traveling supporters who made themselves heard in the away section.
“Our fans seemed to be enjoying the performance. There were 3,500 people singing from the first to the last minute for us. These players are definitely conveying the desire to do well.”