EMPOLI, ITALY – SEPTEMBER 14: Douglas Luiz of Juventus reacts during the Serie A match between Empoli and Juventus at Stadio Carlo Castellani on September 14, 2024 in Empoli, Italy. (Photo by Gabriele Maltinti/Getty Images)
Former Juventus midfielder Alessio Tacchinardi discusses Douglas Luiz’s unease in Turin and recalls what Thiago Motta did in October: ‘It chilled my blood.’
Angry Douglas Luiz recently vented his frustration with an Instagram comment, where he replied to a Juventus fan who had criticised him.
The Brazilian midfielder has failed to justify his €50m price tag at the Allianz Stadium, playing barely 800 minutes across all competitions and missing 20 games due to injuries.
Ex-Juventus midfielder Tacchinardi, a multiple Serie A champion and a 1996 Champions League winner in Turin, discussed Douglas Luiz’s latest claims on a YouTube show with Ilbianconero.
Tacchinardi recalled the start of the season, suggesting that he had seen trouble coming.
“Juventus played against Cagliari just a few days after that handball against Leipzig,” he said.
Douglas Luiz’s Juventus unease explained
“Motta was asked if he had spoken to Douglas, but he replied: ‘No, but he had a good attitude in training.’ I immediately thought: ‘Motta doesn’t talk to certain players.’ If you see somebody as one of your players, the next day in training, you try to motivate them. To me, it made no sense, but that was Motta’s approach. Perhaps, Emery made him feel important and texted him every day, saying, ‘You are my best player.’ I don’t think Douglas has forgotten how to play.”
Douglas Luiz had caused two consecutive penalty kicks in games against Leipzig and Cagliari in October and never seemed to be on good terms with ex-Bianconeri coach Motta.
“The first thing you do when a player makes that sort of mistake is try to motivate him,” Tacchinardi continued.
“When I heard what Motta said, it chilled my blood. Then the whole season was a disaster. I don’t know if he trained poorly; I don’t think so. He had injuries, but there was no real connection with Motta. Maybe even the club could have asked Motta why Douglas Luiz never played two games in a row.”
Douglas Luiz has only made one substitute appearance under new coach Igor Tudor, but has recently returned from an injury.
His contract in Turin expires in June 2029.