Motta: Juve needs 'concentration and commitment' against Empoli

09/13/2024 12:20 PM

Motta's thoughts before their 'difficult' fixture, and a busy schedule, where they will face the likes of PSV Eindhoven and Napoli.

After a busy international break where Juventus saw a host of players travel abroad to represent their home countries, the Serie A season is about to recommence.Juve's season is set to intensify, with some difficult league fixtures ahead, and the beginning of the revamped Champions League this upcoming week.

Juve's match against Empoli on Saturday evening represents the beginning of their congested, and notably difficult schedule of games for the next month. Apart from Empoli — who've managed to snag some impressive results in their first three fixtures, notably their 2-1 victory over Roma, whom Juventus only managed a tie against — Thiago Motta's squad is also set to face reigning Dutch champions PSV Eindhoven this coming Tuesday and the perennially dangerous Napoli next Saturday.

During his pre-match press conference on Friday, Motta acknowledged the difficulty of their upcoming schedule and made sure to include the often-underestimated Empoli, whom he praised.

"(Saturday) will be a very difficult match," Motta said. "We know that it is the start of an intense period in the schedule, but our focus is on tomorrow's match. Empoli is a good team, they are in good form and must be respected like all the opponents we have faced so far."

So far, one of the shining points of Juventus' first three games has been their defense. With three clean sheets and virtually no legitimate threats against new goalkeeper Michele Di Gregorio, Motta warned that Empoli may be different.

"(Roberto) D'Aversa's team defends very deep," Motta said. "They have quality and speed on the counterattack, and we have seen that they have created several problems for the teams they have already faced. We will need to play with great concentration and commitment in order to return to Turin with all three points."

One of the most important concerns for Motta in terms of these upcoming fixtures is longevity; although Empoli represents a difficult away fixture — especially for a team that is only starting to find its footing — and consolidate its character, Motta's decisions on who to start will certainly be influenced by their first Champions League match since 2022.

Regarding fitness and longevity, Motta said: "The tight schedule should not frighten us. We train and play. Those who are in the best shape will play and those who need time to recover will rest in order to be available as soon as possible. We were already aware of our schedule commitments before the start of the campaign, we are not just finding out about them now. We know what awaits us and we will face it with enthusiasm."

Luckily, as well as being well prepared as per Motta's comments, Juventus also has the benefit of a busy summer transfer window, and the rise to prominence of some Next Gen players to boost their squad's overall depth. Juve's busy schedule will certainly force Motta to rotate and experiment and will also allow Juventus fans to witness the fruits of an incredibly active transfer window on the pitch.

Regarding who is to play and what the lineups will look like, Motta had this to say: "All the players available are in good condition. Those who have returned from national teams have played and in the specific case of Nico Gonzalez he has also scored. Danilo is well, he is an important player for us. With Brazil he played as a full-back, in a role that meant he was quite reigned in, with the task of setting up almost as a central defender. I will deploy him where I consider it most appropriate depending on the opponent we are facing.

"On [Vasilije] Adzic the feelings are positive, we had a test during the week and he responded in the best way. [Dusan] Vlahovic? The whole team must put Dusan in the ideal conditions to perform at his best, but he also knows that he must make himself available to the team. He is training very well and he always comes to the Training Centre with great enthusiasm and that is a positive factor because he is an extra source of motivation for his teammates."

This will certainly be a defining period for Juventus. Hopefully, in the face of this adversity, Juve's new-look side will gel and find their character. Regarding the team's progress Motta stated that, "I have seen development, but we can still improve. The boys are training very well, they are carrying out the work set at the beginning of July very well. Regarding the youngsters in the squad, many of them have been here for a long time, at Juventus I mean, and consequently they know how to behave in a club like this. They have the good fortune of having experienced players at their side who can help them in training and in the game and, therefore, develop steadily."