Two major European teams could lose their coaches sooner than expected and compete for the same candidate to replace them: Thiago Motta. After qualifying Bologna for the Champions League after 60 years, the services of the Italian-Brazilian are in high demand.
His successes did not go unnoticed on the radars of Juventus and FC Barcelona, amid their respective crises with Massimiliano Allegri and Xavi. The former just won the Coppa Italia, but in the celebrations of that title, he had insulted and threatened the director of a sports newspaper, for which the Italian Football Federation has already opened a procedure to investigate what happened.
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Juventus, in addition, is analyzing whether to dismiss him under this same argument, although the coach was already under previous pressure due to what is so far a disappointing fourth place in Serie A. The Turin team has five draws in a row in the local league, although their ticket to the next Champions League is not at risk.
Meanwhile, Xavi could be dismissed in a short time, according to information from the Catalan press. His continuation had been initially confirmed, but Barcelona president Joan Laporta did not like the statements in which the coach said that the club’s financial situation prevents them from competing on equal terms with other major teams in Spain and Europe.
Laporta had already thought of Thiago Motta as an option for the bench, prior to Xavi changing his mind about continuing with the Blaugrana squad. Juventus has also set its sights on the Italian-Brazilian and, according to the newspaper La Gazzetta dello Sport, has already presented him with a formal proposal.
Motta, born in the state of São Paulo, played one game with the Brazil U-23 team in the 2003 CONCACAF Gold Cup, but later opted to represent Italy, a country of which he was already a citizen due to his family background. At the professional level, he played for Barcelona and PSG, among other clubs.
Remembering Zagallo
Sambafoot Series launched a new documentary about the football legend Zagallo. Known as ‘Velho Lobo‘ and as superstitious as it gets, Zagallo helped shape what Brazilian football is nowadays — as a player and as a coach.
Binge the episodes available on Sambafoot’s Youtube channel. Stay tuned for upcoming releases as we keep telling this legend’s life story.
