Juventus coach Thiago Motta maintains that the 4-0 home loss to Atalanta is not as significant as their Coppa Italia elimination by Empoli. He feels no need to apologize to Juventus supporters after this defeat.
Following a penalty awarded to Atalanta’s Mateo Retegui, Juventus conceded four goals in the second half. Marten de Roon, Davide Zappacosta, and Ademola Lookman effectively broke through Juventus’s defense, leading to a 4-0 scoreline.
Many fans left the stadium after Atalanta’s fourth goal, while those who remained expressed their frustration with insults directed at the team.
“We approached a challenging game against a team eager to capitalize on our errors,” Thiago Motta stated in an interview with DAZN.
“The penalty was a turning point and a difficult moment, regardless of its debatable nature. Our young team attempted to push forward and recover, but this exposed us defensively.”
“We struggled mentally after conceding the first goal and lost our structure, providing Atalanta more opportunities to exploit spaces with players like Lookman and their wing-backs. We are disappointed with this defeat, and the recent talks about the Scudetto are now irrelevant.”
“Our focus now is to recover and prepare for the upcoming match against Fiorentina.”
Juventus had more possession in the game, but Atalanta’s superior expected goals (xG) and the final 4-0 result highlighted the difference in performance.
The previous match between these teams in Bergamo ended in a 1-1 draw.
“It was a different match compared to the game in Bergamo, where Atalanta played more aggressively. Today, especially after their first goal, we tried to attack, made mistakes, and made it easier for a strong counter-attacking team like Atalanta,” Thiago Motta added.
“We were aware of this possibility before the game, which makes it even more frustrating that a penalty, even if questionable, broke the deadlock. We became too disorganized and allowed them too much space.”
This is Juventus’s worst home defeat in Serie A since October 1967, when they lost 4-0 to Torino in a derby.
While some might consider this loss worse than the Coppa Italia exit against Empoli, where Juventus lost on penalties, Thiago Motta disagrees.
“This defeat is unpleasant, but I don’t consider it to be on the same level as the Empoli defeat. They are different situations. We started well today, but the penalty changed the game,” Thiago Motta explained.
“We needed to maintain our composure, and we failed to do so, partly due to the team’s inexperience.”
Thiago Motta previously played under Gian Piero Gasperini at Genoa, but this match saw his former mentor deliver a significant lesson.