Bologna coach and former Inter midfielder Thiago Motta has downplayed his former playing rivalry with Juventus as a potential motivation heading into Sunday evening’s Serie A clash with the Bianconeri.
Speaking in a press conference, as reported by FCInterNews, the 40-year-old stressed that these kinds of things are hardly the most important part of his job as a coach, whilst he also addressed speculation about his future with potential links to the Nerazzurri and other clubs.
Whilst Motta is only just starting to build his reputation as a coach, as a player the Brazilian-born former Italy international certainly cemented quite a career for himself.
Some of the former midfielder’s most important years were spent with Inter, with whom he won the European treble during the 2009-10 season.
The derby d’Italia rivalry between the Nerazzurri and the Bianconeri was hardly any less fierce then than it is now, and Motta will have experienced his share of matches between the two teams on the Inter side.
Accordingly, some have suggested that the coach could be eyeing up this weekend’s Serie A fixture against the Turn giants as a special opportunity to get one over on a team who were always among the most significant rivals whilst he was a player.
However, for his part, Motta feels that his only priority is on doing the best job that he can for Bologna in all matches, and not being distracted by these kinds of old sentiments from his playing career.
“I don’t have time to think about things like this,” the coach said when asked about it, “I’m focused on Bologna and how we’re going to face our next match.”
“They’re a great team,” he said of Juventus, “we have to show all our quality against them, be concrete and manage the moments of the match that go both our way and theirs.”
And regarding the possibility of discussing his future with the Rossoblu, Motta said that “We’ll do so when the time is right.”
“Right now my focus is on the present, which is Juventus,” he added.
