Thiago Motta refused to commit his future to Bologna, but hailed the team spirit and assured he ‘loves them all’ after guaranteeing Champions League qualification.
It was almost the perfect night at the Stadio Dall’Ara to celebrate their historic achievement, as they were leading 3-0 with a Riccardo Calafiori brace and Santiago Castro header.
However, Juventus scored three goals in an eight-minute spell to draw 3-3 with Federico Chiesa, Arkadiusz Milik and Kenan Yildiz.
After the final whistle, the coach was inevitably asked what he will do when his contract expires on June 30 and he shrugged off all attempts to unbutton his silence.
“We had a great season, we created a wonderful group where everyone gives their contribution, ensuring the team can play this way and get these results. This is a day of great celebration for Bologna and we must enjoy it all together,” Thiago Motta told DAZN.
“We will talk about the future with the President and what we decide will be announced together. This is the moment to celebrate and continue with this positive energy.”
The celebrations with fireworks and playing the Champions League anthem at full volume inside the arena saw the players laughing and joking, including Joshua Zirkzee taking the DAZN microphone to interview various teammates, albeit with a language barrier.
Thiago Motta enjoys Bologna atmosphere
“The most important thing for me is the rapport with these players,” continued Thiago Motta.
“I look them in the eye, I try to give them each what they deserve, it is not possible to play them all, but there is great respect for my choices and for their work. I love them all, that is not something to be taken for granted and I tell them all the time privately, they give their all to achieve these results that nobody expected.
“As the season went on, the lads were hungry, eager, wanted to do well and I want to experience this moment to the end. I really care these lads.”
If Thiago Motta had been told at the start of the season he’d be level on points with Juventus in the penultimate round, what would he have thought?
“That they were delirious. Nobody expected these results, but the lads arrived from the first day with this desire to raise the bar, improve themselves, respect each other, engage in healthy competition for places, keeping the team spirit when they were on the bench to cheer on their teammates. That is what was fundamental for us to reach the Champions League.”
Finally, Thiago Motta was asked what is the description of a player he wants in his squad.
“If a player only has one role, he needs to be phenomenal, really making the difference. Otherwise, he needs to be versatile enough to play different positions even during the same match. That shows football intelligence and it is much easier to work with someone who has that.
“They also need courage, to believe in themselves and be able to prove it on the pitch. It’s not easy in this world, you can get criticised and if the lad is not mentally strong, he can struggle to express himself.”