Right on time. In a bid to avoid a patchwork of narratives, and to steer clear of any historical reimaginings, Cristiano Giuntoli's remarks have been instantaneous. There’s no room for complacency; everyone must take a long, hard look in the mirror, and this scrutiny shouldn’t rest solely on the shoulders of the manager. What’s unfolded for Juventus has been precisely the calamity everyone dreaded. The project has been cornered, and those involved will soon be facing one another, eye to eye.
Immediate confrontation
This reckoning will take shape over the coming days at Continassa, having already begun in the bosom of the Franchi. Following the final whistle and the cascade of jeers from the stands, the team returned, with Giuntoli himself descending almost at once. His message was clear: honour the jersey, don’t throw it away. The quest for a top-four finish is no longer just an aspiration; it’s a necessity to sidestep calamitous outcomes. Choosing to look beyond Motta sends a clear signal of shared accountability—it's a definitive stance that shifts some of the blame from the manager to the players themselves. Now, especially now, they can’t hide nor let up. As Giuntoli articulated, an incisive reaction was expected from the squad—it had always been forthcoming—but for the first time, disappointment has seeped through the fabric of concern.
Who is being called upon?
It’s tough to pin it on just one individual; it’s decidedly a clarion call to the collective. A call for unity, a rallying cry for the strength of those in distress, and the undeniable urge to rise again. That, in itself, is the crux: amidst the unraveling of a team, it’s the management that still clings to belief in the human and footballing capabilities of this group. Most likely out of necessity. Certainly, one is expected to deliver more—Thiago Motta. He must be a guiding compass in tempestuous seas and through dark woods. The gaffer has shown readiness to stumble but only with his philosophy and his players. A backward step, at the very least, might just prove to be their lifeline.
