'A wonderful era!' - Thiago Motta struggles to hold back tears and tells Bologna stars they can count on him as 'father, brother, friend' as his Juventus move nears

Motta has agreed to replace Massimiliano Allegri at Juventus when his contract at Bologna ends at the end of June. The Italian coach has been deservedly heralded for his tactical acumen in leading Bologna to Champions League qualification this season and was lauded as a hero. After his final game on Friday night, Motta could not hide his sadness at leaving the club.

After the game, Motta said to Sky Sports Italia: "This ends a wonderful era, we experienced those emotions and moments together, without forgetting anyone who was part of it from last season too. I want to publicly thank the fans for all they gave us, their support at home and away.

"From today I am no longer the coach of this team, but these lads know that at any moment, they can count on me as a father, an older brother, a friend.

"We always treated each other with respect, but with reciprocal respect. I gave my all for these lads, they did the same for me, that is why we achieved these results, but the way we achieved them was more important."

Motta's tactical methods first gained attention when he claimed he wished to play a 2-7-2 formation with Paris Saint-Germain's Under-19 side. Motta raised eyebrows when he claimed he wanted to play the goalkeeper at the base of his seven-man midfield. Few doubt his approach now.

Motta will have his work cut out to restore Juventus to their place at the top of Italian football. The Old Lady have not won a league title since 2020 - Juventus had won Serie A nine times in a row before losing their crown to Inter Milan in 2021. Motta is tasked with reclaiming their crown.