🇮🇹 Bologna's Thiago Motta could be Italy's next great manager

The former midfielder has earned a reputation as a tactical innovator in Serie A

Thiago Motta is never short of ideas.

Indeed, the Brazilian-born former Italy international has earned himself a reputation as an innovative tactical thinker over the early part of his managerial career. One of his ideas, though, is remembered for being too radical.

As Paris Saint-Germain under-19 boss, Motta called 2-7-2 the formation of the future.

“I count the goalkeeper as one of the seven players in the middle of the pitch,” he explained. “For me, the striker is the first defender and the goalkeeper the first attacker.”

Even for the most experimental of tacticians, Motta’s comments were puzzling and they followed him for years.

When Motta was handed his first senior managerial job at Genoa in 2019, he was asked about the 2-7-2 formation at his media unveiling. The same happened when the former midfielder was appointed at Spezia in 2019.

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Now, nobody mentions Motta’s infamous interview. Instead, the 41-year-old is receiving widespread praise for forging a Bologna team that is unbeaten in 11 matches and in European contention near the top of the Serie A table this season.

Motta has the makings of Italian football’s next great manager.