Online Reporter
TURIN. — Juventus manager Thiago Motta praised his players for their dedication and hard work in improving on mediocre results, helping them get back into the top four race in Serie A.
His side secured a 1-0 home win over Inter Milan on Sunday, putting them in fourth place as they bid to qualify for next season’s Champions League after a campaign marked by a series of draws that has left them off the pace in the title race.
“I don’t do my work to please or displease anyone, I do it for myself because I know we’re on the right path,” Motta told reporters. “I like to see the team improve, battle, work hard, and play good football to win the game.
“The players, above all, deserve the support of the fans.
“They give their all every day for the team and for Juventus.”
Reflecting on Juve’s win over reigning champions Inter, who remain in second place two points behind Napoli, Motta said the first half was difficult, with his side showing their opponents too much respect.
“We certainly had a different energy in the second half. The first was tough, and we showed them too much respect, allowing them too much time on the ball,” he said.
“We know Inter have a lot of quality, but if you don’t press them you end up struggling. We did much better with that in the second half.”
With four wins in a row across all competitions, Motta said that performing at home in the Allianz Stadium had proven to be a bigger challenge than playing on the road this season.
“We seem to have more freedom away from home. At home, we’ve faced struggles. The first half tonight was a reminder of that, but in the second half we pressed high, played good football, and earned the win.”
Meanwhile, Inter Milan coach Simone Inzaghi was left frustrated after his side’s 1-0 defeat at Juventus on Sunday saw them miss out on a chance to leapfrog Napoli at the top of Serie A.
“There is a lot of regret and disappointment, but the boys showed great organisation and courage,” Inzaghi told DAZN.
“We needed to score more goals and finish the first half with a lead,” he added, pointing to Inter’s recent away defeats, including a 3-0 loss at Fiorentina, to underline the need for improvement.
The coach explained that his decision to make three substitutions in the 62nd minute was due to Juve’s superiority after the break and Inter’s lack of fluency.
“We had to do better, the last situation was wrong.
“In the nine years I’ve been in Turin, I’ve never had so many chances. It hurts to lose, we really wanted to win. Everything is still open, but we need to change the tempo,” added Inzaghi. —Reuters.
