Nicolò Fagioli’s recent interview with Corriere dello Sport has sparked controversy, particularly among Juventus fans. The midfielder, now at Fiorentina and instrumental in their recent 3-0 victory over Juventus, made several pointed remarks about his former club and manager Thiago Motta.
Fagioli claimed that after the Genoa and Leipzig matches, Motta stopped considering him for selection. He stated, “Florence has restored my enjoyment and lightness,” and added, “When you know the coach doesn’t see you, if there’s no trust, you prepare worse, you go to the field, you feel the heaviness of training, and naturally you don’t perform.”
Calciomercato report how these comments have given voice to doubts many have had about Motta’s approach to player management. The Italian-Brazilian coach has been accused of being overly rigid and lacking empathy in his communication with both the group and individual players, issues that were also apparent during his time at Bologna.
According to reports, there were no particular episodes of tension between Motta and Fagioli, but rather a lack of trust manifested in team selections. Fagioli’s frustration stems from a perceived absence of explanations for his frequent exclusions and his rapid descent from semi-regular starter to last choice in rotations.
This situation highlights a broader issue at Juventus. The decision to give so much power to a single director, Cristiano Giuntoli, without counterbalancing football expertise in the club’s hierarchy, may have caused damage to both Juventus’ present and future. Giuntoli’s apparent blind trust in Motta’s judgments, at least until recently, seems to have exacerbated the problem.
The departures of players like Fagioli, Moise Kean, and Dean Huijsen, as well as Matías Soulè, Nicolò Rovella, Fabio Miretti, and Hans Nicolussi Caviglia, are increasingly viewed as regrettable decisions. These transfers appear to have been made with a lack of foresight and clarity, decisions that are now coming back to haunt the club.
