Thiago Motta voiced his dissatisfaction with Juventus’ approach following their 1-1 draw with Cagliari. After Dusan Vlahovic gave the Bianconeri the lead, Juventus opted to control the tempo rather than press for another goal. However, this strategy allowed Cagliari to get back into the game, and Razvan Marin’s penalty ended Juventus’ run of 627 minutes without conceding.
“We had control after scoring, but we shouldn’t have settled for just managing the ball,” Motta explained to DAZN. “We needed to keep attacking. Even though we created chances in the second half, we left ourselves vulnerable, and it always felt like Cagliari could get back into the match.”
Missed Opportunities and VAR Drama
Juventus were embroiled in a series of key decisions throughout the game. One of the most significant moments came from VAR, which awarded a penalty for Cagliari after Sebastiano Luperto was ruled to have grazed Federico Gatti’s header with his fingertips. Later, Francisco Conceicao was shown a second yellow card for a fall in the box following slight contact with Adam Obert.
Despite a couple of clear opportunities to extend their lead, including a missed chance from Dusan Vlahovic shortly before Cagliari’s equalizer, Juventus could not find the decisive goal. “There’s nothing to say to Vlahovic. These things happen in football,” Motta said, emphasizing that the team as a whole must improve if they want to remain competitive.
Costly Penalty and Late Substitutions
A pivotal moment occurred late in the game when Roberto Piccoli flicked the ball on, and Douglas Luiz committed a foul, giving away a crucial penalty for the second consecutive match. Motta remained positive about Luiz’s potential recovery, stressing the importance of hard work and consistency in training.
As for his team’s late-game adjustments, Motta reflected on the performance of substitutes, notably Kenan Yildiz, who entered the game after Samuel Mbangula struggled to make an impact. “Kenan came on well,” Motta admitted, though he regretted Juventus’ failure to finish the game off, leading to a late penalty that sealed the draw.
Although Juventus are still unbeaten in Serie A this season, they have now recorded four draws alongside three victories. Additionally, Motta confirmed that Teun Koopmeiners’ substitution was due to a minor issue, which will be evaluated further in the coming hours.
