Thiago Motta was left frustrated with Juventus' inability to make their dominance count after Razvan Marin's late equaliser snatched a 1-1 draw for Serie A strugglers Cagliari.

Dusan Vlahovic's early penalty gave Juve the lead but Marin's 88th-minute spot-kick cost the hosts two important points that would have moved them to within one of leaders Napoli.

Marin's late salvaging act was the first goal Juventus have conceded this season in the league, though their inability to build on the early strike was what head coach Motta bemoaned after Sunday's draw.

"Already in the first half, after the goal, we were content to control the game. It's no good," Motta told DAZN.

"We have to keep attacking. In the second half, we created chances but we didn't exploit them. There was always the feeling that Cagliari could come back into the game.

"In Serie A, all games are complicated, regardless of who we face and whether we play at home or away. Today we left room for Cagliari to get back into the game."

Vlahovic may have converted the penalty but was also guilty of missing an excellent chance to extend Juve's lead when he fired wide on the rebound from close range.

Motta's side accumulated a tally of 2.57 expected goals (xG) overall, compared to Cagliari's 1.12, suggesting three points should have ended in the hands of the profligate Juve.

The Italian head coach refused to point the finger at Vlahovic, though insisted improvements are needed.

"You can't say anything, it's a match situation. It happens and will happen," Motta said. "But there are other things that we can certainly do better in order to compete, to be able to continue to grow."

Francisco Conceicao made his first start of the season against Cagliari, but the Portugal winger was sent off late in the game when he received a second booking for simulation in the penalty area.

"I haven't seen the images, if it's simulation, it's the correct decision. It's something we've been talking about for a long time, simulations are not good for the game," Motta added in his press conference.

"I trust the referee, but now a precedent opens up and it must always be like this. It must always be done, not every now and then."

Juventus were reduced to 10 and conceded for the first time this season in Serie A as a late Razvan Marin penalty snatched a 1-1 draw for Cagliari.

Dusan Vlahovic put Juve ahead with a penalty of his own in the 15th minute on Sunday.

Sebastiano Luperto, making his 150th appearance in Serie A, had been judged to have handled in the area after a VAR check.

Yet despite dominating the ball, with 73.7% possession, Juve were unable to find a decisive second goal, with Vlahovic guilty of squandering a fantastic chance in the 79th minute.

And they were made to pay when Marin converted from the spot after Douglas Luiz fouled Roberto Piccoli.

Juve's frustration was compounded when Francisco Conceicao picked up his second yellow card in the 89th minute, with the post then denying Adam Obert a last-gasp winner for Cagliari. 

Data Debrief: Juve's defence finally breached

Juve were rocked by a season-ending injury to defender Bremer this week, albeit they looked largely untroubled until the late penalty drama.

Marin's penalty was the first time Juve have conceded in Serie A in 755 minutes of action, since Ricardo Calafiori's goal for Bologna back on May 20.

Thiago Motta will lament some wasteful finishing, with Juve having 21 shots and tallying up 2.57 expected goals (xG) to Cagliari's 1.12.

Thiago Motta believes the Juventus players will "all give something more" for Bremer after he suffered a potentially season-ending injury.

The Brazilian, who had played every single minute this season, was forced off with an anterior cruciate ligament injury early in their 3-2 Champions League win over RB Leipzig on Wednesday.

He has played a big part in Juventus keeping six clean sheets from six games in the league and has played more minutes (540) while making the most interceptions (six) and blocks (11) among his team-mates in the competition. 

Motta expects him to be a big miss against Cagliari at the weekend.

"Gleison [Bremer] is an important player for us," Motta said. "I'm very sorry for the boy, because already, humanly speaking, he is fantastic, technically I don't need to say it, we all know it.

"From now on we will all give something more, also because if it had been another team-mate who had to stop like that, I am convinced that he would have taken this responsibility to give something more every day."

Motta will also be without forward Timothy Weah, winger Nicolas Gonzalez, midfielder Vasilije Adzic, along with long-term absentee Arkadius Milik, but the manager expects a positive show from the players who come into the side. 

"Whoever comes in, I am convinced they will give something more," Motta said.

"Always thinking about the well-being of the team and giving a good performance to obtain the positive result, which is what we want to do.

"Tomorrow, in our stadium, our home, in front of our fans, a full ground, a great football atmosphere and we will do our job well from the first to the last minute."

Juventus impressed in Europe, recovering not only from early injuries to Bremer and Gonzalez, but also from going behind twice, and having keeper Michele Di Gregorio sent off.

Now, Motta wants his side to keep that enthusiasm without getting carried away.

"The enthusiasm, used well, is always good, and we use it to work," the manager said.

"We use it to come to the pitch every day and do our job well. This is the great advantage of being able to work with enthusiasm.

"It helps, and we want to maintain that enthusiasm, but it only depends on us. We will always have our feet on the ground, aware of our strengths, and using our strengths in the right way."

French midfielder Paul Pogba had his four-year doping suspension cut to 18 months on Friday, meaning he can return to action in March, but Motta's only concern is the immediate future of his team.

"On Paul Pogba, the club will evaluate what to do," Motta said.

"As for me, Pogba has been a great player, who hasn't played for a long time. Now I'm focused on tomorrow's game and everything else doesn't matter much to me at this moment."

Juventus centre-back Bremer will undergo surgery after sustaining an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury against RB Leipzig.

The Brazil international was forced off six minutes into Juve's 3-2 win over Leipzig on Wednesday, with the club confirming the extent of his injury on Thursday.

Bremer has been key to Thiago Motta's side so far this season, playing every minute in Serie A with the team yet to concede a single goal in six matches.

Among his team-mates, he has played the most minutes (540), making the most interceptions (six) and blocks (11).

Juventus were also dealt another blow, with midfielder Nico Gonzalez suffering a thigh muscle injury.

"Bremer and Nico Gonzalez underwent diagnostic tests which revealed an anterior cruciate ligament injury in the left knee for the former and a low-grade injury to the rectus femoris of the right thigh for the latter," the club said in a statement.

"Bremer will undergo surgery in the coming days."

Thiago Motta hailed Juventus' team spirit after they shrugged off two injuries and Michele Di Gregorio's red card to secure a thrilling 3-2 Champions League win over RB Leipzig.

Juventus, who are yet to concede a goal in Serie A this season, twice had to fight back from a goal down before securing the win with a late goal from Francisco Conceicao.

They endured a nightmare start as captain Bremer and winger Nicolas Gonzalez were both withdrawn after suffering injuries. 

They then went down to 10 men when Di Gregorio was dismissed for handling outside his area, but Dusan Vlahovic's brace had them level before Conceicao showed great feet to tuck home an 82nd-minute winner. 

"It was a good match, even in the first half where we made some mistakes in the details," said Motta. 

"In the second half, we did better, even playing with 10 men. It was a great performance and a great win.

"Courage from the boys, they were determined to push forward and hurt the opponents.

"Even with a man down, we had that feeling, so why step back? We kept pushing, and we did it well right until the last minute."

Two-goal hero Vlahovic echoed those sentiments, saying: "I'm really happy, especially for the team. We are becoming a real unit.

"We fought together, kept pressing even when we were down to 10 men, and in the end, we deserved to win. It was a great match, and fortunately, we came out on top."

 

Ten-man Juventus twice came from behind to stun RB Leipzig 3-2 on Wednesday as Francisco Conceicao's 83rd-minute strike contined the Serie A giants' winning start to their Champions League campaign.

Juve were reduced to 10 just before the hour mark when goalkeeper Michele Di Gregorio was sent off for a handball outside the box, having already lost captain Bremer and Nicolas Gonzalez to injury.

Benjamin Sesko, whose opener was cancelled out by Dusan Vlahovic prior to the red card, quickly restored Leipzig's lead from the penalty spot with his third European goal of the season.

But Vlahovic came to Juve's rescue again three minutes later, curling a left-footed effort into the top corner to level the game at 2-2.

And the unlikely turnaround was complete as Conceicao's fine finish gave the Bianconeri all three points in Germany.

While Juve have six points from six, wasteful Leipzig are still waiting to get off the mark, having been similarly frustrated late on against Atletico Madrid on matchday one.

Data Debrief: Joy for Juve's 10 men

It is not a record they will be proud of, but Juventus have had more goalkeepers sent off in the Champions League than any other club, with Di Gregorio the fourth.

But finally the Bianconeri managed to overcome that setback to earn a positive result. Previous examples had seen Angelo Peruzzi dismissed in a draw with Galatasaray and Edwin van der Sar sent off in a defeat to Panathinaikos, while Gianluigi Buffon's red card against Real Madrid came moments before Cristiano Ronaldo netted a decisive penalty in a two-legged quarter-final, despite Juve winning 3-1 on the night.

Buffon's moment of madness came in April 2018, and this was Juve's first Champions League win with 10 men since September of the same year against Valencia.

Juventus are yet to concede a goal in Serie A this season and will face another solid defence when they take on RB Leipzig in the Champions League, but Thiago Motta expects an open game.

The Italian giants have played six Serie A games without conceding while Leipzig have the best defensive record in the Bundesliga, where they are unbeaten after five games and have only shipped two goals.

"The numbers mean a lot, it gives us solidity," Motta told reporters ahead of Wednesday's trip to Germany.

"We are two teams that don't sit back and wait for the opponent's mistakes. I expect an open game, a dynamic match against a competitive team who play good football.

"To do well, we will have to play with quality and maintain a good defensive phase as we have done so far, facing different teams, as well as the offensive phase of course."

The only goal Motta's side have conceded this season came in their opening Champions League game, a 3-1 win over PSV, but the former midfielder has dismissed suggestions the Bianconeri have played differently in Europe.

"It's not a question of the cup or the league. All games are different, when it comes to how we will face the opponent," Motta said.

"One thing is certain, we will not sit back, we will always try to compete for control of the game.

"We have never played defensively, not even in the league, and we will not do it this time."

Motta has no new injury worries and remained tight-lipped regarding his lineup, but he has already made his mind up over who will take to the pitch against Leipzig.

"No doubts about the formation, I am very sure of the choices," Motta said.

"Of course, that's if nothing happens between now and the game. I can't tell you, but the players already know the team."

Juventus boss Thiago Motta lashed out at those criticising striker Dusan Vlahovic after he scored twice in the Bianconeri's 3-0 win over Genoa on Saturday.

Juve continued their fine start to life under Motta with a routine victory at the Stadio Comunale Luigi Ferraris, Vlahovic netting twice before Francisco Conceicao added a late third.

They have kept a clean sheet in each of their first six matches of a Serie A season for the very first time, also scoring at least twice in five of their last eight games, having done so only once in their previous eight.

Despite Juve's strong run of form, Vlahovic has attracted criticism from some quarters.

Only Christian Pulisic (six) and Marcus Thuram (five) have bettered his four goals in Serie A this term, though, with the Serbian also helping himself to a brace versus Verona.

Motta heaped praise upon Vlahovic after the win, also hailing his defensive work as he said: "No goals conceded is a team effort. 

"Scoring goals starts well with [goalkeeper Mattia] Perin and not conceding goals starts with Vlahovic.

"We have a group that wants to defend to have the ball and recover it. This is very important, a team must be solid to aspire to something great."

Motta then added: "Honestly, I think you pay too much attention to a single player. He has always been very good. 

"I understand the expectations and needs of a striker at this level. But as I said from the beginning, he is a positive leader who helps a lot.

"I am happy because he scored but I was also happy when he didn't. He must improve and be more connected with the team because he is an important player in many aspects of our game. He is fine and must continue to work as he is doing".

Vlahovic, who has more games with multiple goals than any other player across the last six Serie A seasons (19), said: "The most important thing is that we won and we want to continue like this.

"It's no problem, people talk. If you score you're the best, if you don't you're the worst. It's up to me to respond on the pitch and I will certainly do so.

"Sometimes there are fewer opportunities. People expect me to solve the games and that's normal, I don't run away. I always do everything 100%.

"I'm super calm and I will always give my all on the pitch. For a striker when you don't score it's difficult, but today we won and that's the only thing that matters." 

Dusan Vlahovic scored twice to help Juventus to a 3-0 win at Genoa in Serie A as Thiago Motta's side moved top of the standings.

Vlahovic scored Juventus' first goal in four league games when he converted from the spot after they were awarded a penalty for a handball following half-time.

He added his second in the 55th minute from a tight angle after Teun Koopmeiners found the Serbian striker on the edge of the box with a deep cross-field pass.

Substitute Francisco Conceicao then sealed the win with a low, one-touch finish late on.

The game in Genoa was played behind closed doors after crowd violence during their Coppa Italia fixture against Serie B side Sampdoria left more than 50 people injured.

Juventus, who drew each of their last three league games 0-0, top the table with 12 points from six games, one point ahead of second-placed Torino who host Lazio on Sunday.

Data Debrief: Vlahovic gets Juventus firing

Vlahovic broke the deadlock on Saturday and is now only one of the two players to score at least two braces in Serie A this season, level with Marcus Thuram.

The Serbian was bound to score from the sport having converted 18 of his 22 penalties taken in Serie A, including his last three in 2024.

Fellow goalscorer Conceicao scored 8,252 days after his father, Sergio, last bagged in Serie A on 24 February 2002, meanwhile, for Inter against Udinese.

Thiago Motta is relishing the chance to end Juventus' three-match winless run in Serie A against former club Genoa this weekend. 

Motta, who has taken nine points from his first five games as Juventus head coach, returns to the Stadio Luigi Ferraris after playing and managing the Grifone. 

The 42-year-old made 27 appearances for Genoa in all competitions, scoring six goals in the 2008-09 season before moving to Inter the following campaign. 

Motta then returned as their head coach in 2019, replacing Aurelio Andreazzoli, but managed just two wins from his 10 games in charge (D3 L5) before being sacked. 

"I've experienced so many good moments. It was a privilege. I enjoyed it both as a player and as a coach. I'm always happy to return there," Motta said.

While Juventus come into the encounter unbeaten, and the only team yet to concede in Europe's major top five leagues, they have struggled at the top end of the pitch.

The Bianconeri have drawn each of their last three league matches against Roma, Empoli and Napoli with a score of 0-0. 

Juventus could draw four goalless games in a row for the first time in their history in Serie A, but Motta was not worried about his team's goal-scoring form. 

"The offensive phase is not just one player, but the whole team," Motta said.

"We took an important step in the game against Napoli. We took the ball away from a great team.

"We have to put attackers and midfielders in a position to do well. We have to create as a team.

"They always want to win. I always want to win too. But there are many things behind a win.

"In the end, our goal is to win with our game. I have never perceived anxiety in my team. We always want the positive result." 

Antonio Conte left Juventus "moderately satisfied" with Napoli's goalless draw on Saturday but stressed the need to make the most of attacking opportunities.

Napoli arrived in Turin on the back of a three-match winning streak in Serie A but fell short of capitalising on several good chances.

Conte's side came closest to snatching a winner, with Scott McTominay's long-range shot pushed away by Michele Di Gregorio in the first half before Romelu Lukaku failed to pounce on the rebound.

The former Inter, Chelsea and Tottenham head coach acknowledged a hard-fought point, though still saw room for improvement at Allianz Stadium.

"I realise the difficulty of getting a draw away to Juventus, a team that was 18 points away from Napoli last season," Conte told DAZN.

"We worked on this system, I am moderately satisfied with the defence, but we could’ve done far better in attack and I think we had the clearest scoring opportunities."

Striker Lukaku struggled against Juve, failing to have a single shot and managing just 18 touches before being substituted in the closing stages.

"I think we did it well with the midfielders. Romelu still needs to get into the kind of shape that I require," Conte said.

"I had asked for consistency and it was a good performance in terms of focus, but we can and must do better when we have the ball, as there were some favourable situations."

Reflecting on his past tenure at Juve from 2011 to 2014, Conte acknowledged the challenge of playing at Allianz Stadium.

"I know it is not easy to play here, which is why I made this stadium a fortress during my time," he concluded.

Napoli host Monza in next round of games after they face Palermo in the second round of Coppa Italia on Thursday.

Juventus head coach Thiago Motta was impressed by Napoli's courageous showing as the pair shared a goalless Serie A draw on Saturday.

Motta's team started their campaign with two convincing 3-0 wins against Como and Verona but have failed to score in the league since, recording three 0-0 draws so far in September.

The Napoli result marked just the fifth time Juventus have been held to three straight draws in Serie A history, with the last such instance coming in May 1992 under boss Giovanni Trapattoni.

It also proved just the second occasion this decade of Juventus failing to find the net for three games in a row in Serie A, along with a run between February and March 2011 with Luigi Delneri in charge.

Motta apportioned some credit to Antonio Conte's visitors, though was frustrated with parts of the hosts' showing.

"I expected this attitude, although they played at our home and I didn't expect them to be as courageous as they normally are," Motta said at the post-match press conference.

"[Whether it was] their strategy or our merit, we found ourselves with the team with a low defensive block in the penalty area and therefore difficult to attack.

"It's not a question of filling [the box] but of attacking it at the right time.

"We faced a team that knows how to defend the penalty area well. When a team closes up, it's not easy to score.

"In my opinion, we did better than in the match against Roma. Inside the box, it was difficult against a team that defends well. We had a good performance but not enough to win."

Juventus finished the game with only one shot on target and striker Dusan Vlahovic, goalless in his fourth consecutive game across all competitions, was substituted at half-time.

"It's difficult to win without scoring, we needed an extra contribution from us midfielders too," said Bianconeri midfielder Weston McKennie.

"[Vlahovic] won't be happy but the whole team must put him in a position to score."

Juventus travel to 11th-placed Genoa next Saturday before they visit RB Leipzig in the Champions League on October 2.

Juventus were held to another goalless draw in Serie A, this time by Napoli on Saturday, as Antonio Conte failed to get a win against his former club.

The hosts dominated possession throughout the game, with 64.7%, but offered little in front of goal as they look to end their domestic scoring drought.

Napoli came closest to snatching a winner, with Scott McTominay's long-range shot needing to be pushed away by Michele Di Gregorio in the first half before Romelu Lukaku failed to follow up. 

On the stroke of half-time, the goalkeeper was almost caught out by Matteo Politano's free-kick, but he tipped the winger's delivery over his crossbar.

Di Gregorio then leaped to deny winger Matteo Politano from a free kick in first-half stoppage time, diverting the shot with the tips of his fingers.

Kenan Yildiz managed Juventus' only shot on target of the game early in the second half, and Thiago Motta's men are fourth in the table on nine points, with Napoli one place above them.

Data Debrief: A subdued affair

The good news for Juventus is that their impressive defensive start to the season has continued as they registered a fifth-straight Serie A clean sheet.

However, that is their third consecutive 0-0 draw, experiencing such a run for the fifth time in their history in Serie A, and their first since May 1992 under Giovanni Trapattoni.  

While both sides created chances, they were few and far between - both teams had a shot on target a piece, while Juve only just slightly edged it on expected goals with 0.31 to Napoli's 0.27.

Thiago Motta said Juventus' main focus was on improving players' form, rather than the return of Napoli head coach Antonio Conte.

Conte will be back at the Allianz Stadium on Saturday for the first time as Napoli boss, having enjoyed a trophy-laden career at Juve as both a player and a manager.

As a player, he made 419 appearances, winning 12 titles, while as their head coach, he led Juventus to three consecutive Serie A titles. 

Juventus started the campaign with two wins but were then held by Roma and Empoli, while Conte's side are on a three-game winning streak, sitting in second.

Motta's side did, however, return to winning ways in the Champions League in midweek, beating PSV 3-1.

Conte said he was relishing his return to Turin, but Motta did not dwell on the nostalgia of the occasion as he aims to get back to winning ways.

"You are too focused on Conte and me," Motta told reporters on Friday. "Tomorrow it's Juventus-Napoli. Players are the protagonists, and we hope that our footballers will show their worth as always, bringing the game where we want."

Motta played under Conte at Euro 2016 and said he has a great relationship with his former coach. They have met as managers only once, back in 2019 when Conte was in charge at Inter and Motta managed Genoa.

Napoli won the title in 2023 but finished mid-table last season, 41 points behind champions Inter, while also failing to qualify for Europe.

But Motta said Conte's comparatively well-rested side are built to win the Scudetto this term.

“They are a strong team, and they’ve made changes this season built to aim for the highest and to win [the league]," Motta added.

"I don't know if it’s an advantage not to be playing in European competitions. The calendar is this one for us. We have to go and face teams game after game."

The 42-year-old added that striker Dusan Vlahovic, who was visibly upset after missing chances against PSV, is improving.

"[He] must always have the ambition to improve, just like everyone else, starting with me. His play alongside the team is improving," he said.

Motta confirmed that centre-back Federico Gatti, who sustained a minor injury against PSV, will be available on Saturday, while forward Francisco Conceicao remains sidelined.

Antonio Conte is relishing Napoli's upcoming clash that will see him return to Juventus, a club he both played for and managed. 

Conte has started his career in Naples in fine form, leading Napoli to three wins from their first four league games and to second in the Serie A standings. 

But this weekend sees him return to the club he made 419 appearances for as a player, winning 12 titles, which included the Champions League in 1995-96. 

Having started his managerial journey at Arezzo in 2006, the Italian returned to Juventus in 2011, replacing Luigi Delneri as their new head coach. 

Conte led Juventus to three consecutive Scudetto titles, winning 90 of his 133 games in charge (D30 L13) before becoming the Italy national team head coach. 

The last time the 55-year-old travelled to Turin as the opposing team's manager was in 2021 during the COVID-19 pandemic, with his Inter side losing 3-2 having already won the title. 

"My past is clear, 13 years at Juve as a player, I was captain for several years, winning practically everything," Conte said.  

"I had the opportunity to coach for three years, starting a series of nine Scudetti.

"I am part of Juve's history because of what I've done and given them. It's easier to stay at one club your entire career.

"But as a coach it's impossible to decide your own career. I coached Juve for three years, my career took me to different places.

"Today I have the true pleasure of coaching a team like Napoli. For me, being someone from the south, it is a proud and satisfying feeling.

"There will be lots of emotions returning to that stadium, because last time I returned during COVID."

Conte comes up against a man he knows well in Juventus head coach Thiago Motta, having managed him during his time with the Italian national team. 

Motta has collected eight points from his four games in charge of his new club after leading Bologna to Champions League qualification last term. 

The 42-year-old marked his first game as a head coach in the Champions League with a comfortable 3-1 win over PSV Eindhoven on Tuesday. 

Conte wished Motta well for the season, but not at the expense of his Napoli side. 

"Thiago Motta takes on a heavy legacy... It's not a trivial thing to coach there, there is a demand for victory, like at Milan or Inter," Conte said.

"He was a player of mine with the national team at the European Championships. He makes me smile, but it also saddens me a bit because I'm getting old.

"He did very well in Bologna and so I wish him the best from a human point of view, but not in the games against us." 

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