Igor Tudor takes over Juventus as Thiago Motta exits amid Serie A struggles

Juventus is facing a turning point in its season. On Sunday, the Italian club announced the dismissal of head coach Thiago Motta, a 42-year-old Brazilian who could not withstand a string of poor results in the Serie A. Hired at the start of the 2024/25 season, Motta departs after 42 matches, with 18 wins, 17 draws, and seven losses, leaving the Turin side in fifth place in the league standings, far from the title race. Stepping into his shoes is Croatian Igor Tudor, 46, who returns to Juventus after serving as an assistant coach in 2020/21 and brings experience from stints at Hellas Verona, Olympique Marseille, and Lazio, his most recent team until the end of last season. The shake-up comes amid mounting pressure, fueled by early exits in competitions like the Champions League and Coppa Italia.

The final straw for Thiago Motta’s tenure was a disastrous week. Juventus first suffered a 4-0 thrashing at home against Atalanta at the Juventus Stadium, a humiliating loss in front of their fans. Days later, they were handed another defeat, this time a 3-0 collapse against Fiorentina at the Artemio Franchi stadium, exposing tactical frailties and a lack of fight. These setbacks compounded earlier disappointments that had already put the Brazilian under scrutiny: a Coppa Italia quarterfinal exit to Empoli and a Champions League playoff loss to PSV in the round of 16. With a points-per-game average of just 49% in Serie A, Motta’s stint with the Old Lady ends, marking the conclusion of his fourth managerial role.

Igor Tudor arrives with the task of turning the club’s fortunes around. After leaving Lazio in May 2024, the Croatian had been without a team, but his recent track record shows an ability to thrive in tough situations. In Marseille during the 2022/23 season, he secured third place in Ligue 1, while at Verona in 2021/22, he led the team to a surprising ninth-place finish in Serie A. His prior stint at Juventus as an assistant offers familiarity with the club’s structure and some of its players, potentially easing his transition. Tudor’s debut is set for the next Serie A match against Cagliari on March 29, 2025, as he aims to steer Juventus back to its dominant form in Italy and Europe.

Igor Tudor è il nuovo allenatore della Prima Squadra Maschile. Bentornato, Igor!

Il Club ringrazia Thiago Motta e tutto il suo staff per la professionalità dimostrata e per il lavoro svolto in questi mesi con passione e dedizione, augurando loro il meglio per il futuro.

— JuventusFC (@juventusfc) March 23, 2025

Key stats from Thiago Motta’s tenure

Thiago Motta’s time at Juventus was a mix of promise and inconsistency. Here are the standout figures:

• Matches played: 42
• Wins: 18 (42.8%)
• Draws: 17 (40.5%)
• Losses: 7 (16.7%)
• Goals scored: 56
• Goals conceded: 38

These numbers paint a picture of a rocky campaign, falling short of the club’s storied standards.

Road to the Turin crisis

Thiago Motta took the Juventus helm with high hopes. Fresh off a historic season with Bologna, where he secured a Champions League spot for 2024/25 with an attacking, well-drilled style, the Brazilian was hailed as one of Europe’s brightest coaching prospects. His arrival in Turin in July 2024 promised tactical renewal, introducing a 4-3-3 system focused on possession and high pressing. Early on, the team showed glimpses of potential, topping the Serie A table by the seventh round with four wins and three draws. Standout players like Federico Chiesa and Dusan Vlahovic appeared to gel with Motta’s vision.

Over time, however, cracks emerged. By November 2024, a run of three straight draws against Inter, Milan, and Napoli revealed struggles to turn dominance into wins. The Coppa Italia exit to Empoli in December, a 2-1 upset, ramped up the pressure, followed by the Champions League knockout against PSV, losing 3-2 on aggregate. In 2025, the thrashings by Atalanta and Fiorentina sealed his fate. With just 35 points from 23 Serie A matches, Juventus trailed league leaders Napoli by 12 points, effectively ending their title aspirations. Motta’s inability to steady the ship led to his exit after less than nine months.

The squad faced internal hurdles too. Injuries to key players like midfielder Nicolo Fagioli and the slow integration of signings like Teun Koopmeiners disrupted consistency. Fans, accustomed to dominance—Juventus won nine straight Serie A titles from 2012 to 2020—began booing the team at home, especially after the Atalanta debacle. The board, led by Cristiano Giuntoli, acted swiftly, replacing Motta with Tudor to salvage the season and restore faith among the Bianconeri faithful.

Igor Tudor’s coaching pedigree

Igor Tudor brings a wealth of experience and a gritty approach to Juventus. Born in Split, Croatia, he enjoyed a solid playing career as a defender at Juventus from 1998 to 2007, winning two Serie A titles. As a coach, he cut his teeth at Hajduk Split in 2013 before making his mark in Italy. At Hellas Verona from 2021 to 2022, he turned a relegation-threatened side into a ninth-place finisher in Serie A with a physical, direct style. In Marseille the following season, he clinched third in Ligue 1 and reached the Europa League quarterfinals.

His latest role was at Lazio, starting in March 2024, where he guided the team to seventh in Serie A and a Conference League spot before parting ways in May over planning disputes with the board. Tudor’s tactics, often featuring a sturdy defense and quick transitions, differ from Motta’s possession-based approach, likely requiring adjustments from the Juventus squad. His time as an assistant under Andrea Pirlo in 2020/21 gives him an edge—he knows the club’s inner workings and players like captain Danilo. At 46, Tudor signed until June 2026, with an option for an extra year, aiming to deliver instant results.

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Juventus’ recent form unpacked

Juventus’ 2024/25 season has fallen short of expectations. At Motta’s exit, the team had 35 points from 23 Serie A games, with 10 wins, five draws, and eight losses. In the Champions League, they bowed out to PSV after a 1-1 home draw and a 2-1 away loss. The Coppa Italia saw a shock quarterfinal defeat to Empoli, conceding twice on counterattacks. These stumbles are a far cry from Juventus’ legacy of 36 Italian titles and two European crowns.

In their last five matches under Motta, Juventus beat Genoa 2-1, drew 0-0 with Roma, and lost to Milan (1-0), Atalanta (4-0), and Fiorentina (3-0). The defense, leaking 38 goals in 42 games, has been shaky, while the attack, with 56 goals, averaged a mere 1.33 goals per game—the lowest since 2010/11. Fans voiced their frustration with banners after the Atalanta rout and boos at Fiorentina, signaling a breaking point that prompted Tudor’s appointment.

Thiago Motta’s coaching journey

Before Juventus, Thiago Motta built a rising reputation. His first gig was at Genoa in 2019, lasting 10 games with two wins and seven losses. At Spezia from 2021 to 2022, he avoided relegation in Serie A, winning 11 of 38 matches. His peak came at Bologna from 2022 to 2024, where he notched 36 victories in 82 games, clinching a Champions League spot with a fifth-place finish in 2023/24. That success landed him at Juventus, but Turin proved a tougher challenge.

Born in São Bernardo do Campo, Brazil, Motta had a stellar playing career at Barcelona, Inter Milan, and PSG, winning two Champions Leagues (2006 and 2010). As a coach, his possession-heavy, high-intensity philosophy thrived at Bologna but faltered at Juventus, where the squad struggled to adapt quickly enough. At 42, he leaves with a bitter lesson but remains young enough to pursue new opportunities in European football.

Timeline of Juventus’ season

Thiago Motta’s stint and Igor Tudor’s arrival follow a series of pivotal moments:

• July 2024: Motta takes charge of Juventus.
• September 2024: Team tops Serie A after seven rounds.
• December 2024: Exits from Coppa Italia and Champions League.
• March 2025: Thrashings by Atalanta and Fiorentina trigger Motta’s sacking.
• March 23, 2025: Tudor named new head coach.

This timeline captures the club’s turbulent ride.

Challenges awaiting Igor Tudor

Igor Tudor steps into Juventus at a critical juncture. With 15 Serie A rounds left, the team sits five points shy of a Champions League spot, facing stiff competition from Atalanta and Lazio. The upcoming clash with Cagliari offers a chance to kickstart a revival, but tough fixtures against Inter, Milan, and Napoli loom through May. In the Conference League, Juventus begins its group stage in April against Hungary’s Ferencvaros, marking Tudor’s European debut with the club.

The squad needs fine-tuning. Dusan Vlahovic, the team’s top scorer with 12 goals, lacks attacking support, while the defense, conceding 16 goals in the last 10 matches, demands structure. Tudor’s track record—favoring systems like the 3-4-2-1 from his Marseille days—could bring stability, but he’ll face intense pressure at a club that hasn’t won Serie A since 2020. With an average home crowd of 39,000 at the Juventus Stadium, fans expect a swift turnaround.

Standout facts from the shake-up

Juventus’ transition sheds light on its current state. Here are some key points:

• Motta posted the lowest win percentage of any Juventus coach since 2011.
• The team conceded 10 goals across two games in March 2025.
• Tudor becomes the third Croatian coach in Serie A history.
• Juventus hasn’t reached a Champions League semifinal since 2017.

These details underline the urgency of the managerial switch.