Juventus manager Thiago Motta expressed his concern over the team's ongoing struggles after a frustrating 1-1 draw with Lecce in Serie A. This result marked the third consecutive draw for Juventus, following goalless stalemates against Milan and Aston Villa. The 1-1 draw with Lecce also set a new club record, with Juventus now having recorded 18 draws in Serie A during 2024, surpassing their previous record of 17 draws in 1956.
Motta emphasized the need for his team to improve both collectively and individually, particularly in understanding crucial moments in matches. After Andrea Cambiaso’s early strike had given Juventus the lead, Ante Rebic’s late goal for Lecce saw them drop points once again. Speaking to DAZN, Motta explained, "After taking the lead, we can improve certain aspects of the game, both collectively and individually." The manager acknowledged that although Juventus had moments where they played better than their opponents, the team struggled to maintain control after going ahead, leading to Lecce’s equalizer.
With Juventus currently sitting in sixth place in the Serie A standings with 26 points from 14 matches, Motta recognized the team's general inconsistency. He pointed out that, at times, Juventus had been the better team, but other matches had been more evenly matched. "Sometimes we have played better than the opponent, other times the games have been more balanced," Motta reflected.
The team has also faced challenges with injuries, particularly to key players such as Dusan Vlahovic, Nicolo Savona, and Weston McKennie. Despite these setbacks, Vlahovic remains their top scorer with six goals. Motta admitted that fatigue was visible in the second half against Lecce, noting, "We saw in the second half that the team was running out of steam." Juventus' inability to convert their lead into a victory was also partly due to mistakes in the first half and a lack of defensive stability after taking the lead. Motta expressed frustration, saying, "We opened up too much after going ahead," highlighting the need to improve in managing games when in front.
Despite the ongoing draw-heavy results, Juventus remains unbeaten in their last 22 Serie A matches, a positive sign that they are difficult to beat. However, Motta is keen to turn these draws into victories in order to close the gap on the top teams. Juventus is currently trailing Serie A leaders Napoli by six points, and with matches against teams like Bologna ahead, Motta stressed the importance of both physical and mental preparation to help Juventus push higher up the table.
Looking forward, Motta stressed the importance of learning from these results and continuing to develop a more efficient approach to finishing matches. "We've got to improve, learn certain things and keep thinking positive," he concluded. Juventus will need to convert their performances into wins in the coming weeks if they are to challenge for the top positions in Serie A.
