What Tudor did and said on Juventus debut and why it was different from Motta

TURIN, ITALY – MARCH 29: Igor Tudor, Head Coach of Juventus, celebrates 1-0 victory with Mattia Perin following the Serie A match between Juventus and Genoa at the Allianz Stadium on March 29, 2025 in Turin, Italy. (Photo by Valerio Pennicino/Getty Images)

New Juventus coach Igor Tudor continuously gave guidance to the team on his winning debut against Genoa and warmly hugged Mattia Perin and Dusan Vlahovic after the full-time whistle, but there was a clear difference with Thiago Motta also in post-match interviews, writes Lorenzo Bettoni at the Allianz Stadium.

The Croatian tactician beat Genoa 1-0 on his debut as Juventus coach on Saturday.

Tudor materially helped the Bianconeri score the winner in the first half as he quickly passed the ball to Teun Koopmeiners for a throw-in, inspiring Kenan Yildiz’s attacking move.

Tudor followed the entire warm-up from the pitch, watching his players closely rather than from the touchline.

During the game, the Croat never sat on the Juventus bench and spent most of the 90 minutes standing in his technical area giving tactical instructions to his players.

What Tudor did and said on Juventus debut and why it was different from Motta

He also frequently complained to the referee and the fourth official, especially in the second half, reacting to a Khephren Thuram yellow card and getting booked as well.

While his predecessor Thiago Motta used to spend most games watching the team from the touchline, keeping his hands in his pockets, Tudor looked more lively and keen to pass on his determination to the squad.

Another big difference was in the relationship with the team, something Motta clearly lacked in his final weeks in Turin.

After the final whistle, Mattia Perin tugged the new Juventus coach, receiving a warm hug. Tudor then took to the pitch to embrace other Bianconeri players, including Vlahovic, who played the full 90 minutes for the second time in 2025.

Another significant change was in post-match interviews. In January, Motta made headlines by saying that he was “not obsessed” with winning, which was immediately perceived as a sacrilege by Juventus fans.

Tudor, on the other hand, knows the club and its DNA inside out. When asked how it felt to receive a warm welcome from the fans, he replied, “It was very good, but the victory was even better.”