London (dpa)
Thiago Motta, the new coach of Italian football club Juventus, praised the work structure at his new club, as he spoke publicly for the first time since taking over from Italian Massimiliano Allegri.
Motta, 41, was appointed in June after five-time Serie A champion Allegri was sacked over comments he made after Juventus’ Coppa Italia final win over Atalanta.
Last season, Motta led Bologna to fifth place in a historic season for the club, securing a place in the Champions League for the first time since 1965 in its old format.
Motta, who has 30 caps for Italy, will have to lead Juventus to their first league title since the 2019-20 season as they seek to recover from a turbulent period that saw the club banned from European competition for financial irregularities and culminated in the sensational sacking of Allegri.
“The first days with the team were great,” said Motta, who won the Champions League and Serie A with Inter Milan in 2010.
“I found an excellent and well-equipped working structure, we were warmly welcomed by the club, as well as by the fans. I am delighted to be here with you today,” Mota added.
“I want a happy and proud team at the end of every game because that means we’ve done our best, that’s what I ask of the players,” Motta said, as reported by the PA news agency.
“I am now in a historic club and I am happy to be part of this new group. This is a crucial time of the season, we have to prepare well to compete in every match,” he continued.
“I was convinced that Juventus has a great environment, and I am happy to have the best facilities at my disposal. We hope to play as many matches as possible. The goal is always to win, and I know that I have a great responsibility,” he said.
Juventus finished third in Allegri’s last season, securing their return to the Champions League after being suspended from European competitions for a year due to their failure to comply with UEFA’s Financial Fair Play regulations.
#Motta #Juventus #happy #proud #game
