Empoli sent shockwaves through Italian football by eliminating Juventus from the Coppa Italia with a 4-2 win in a dramatic penalty shootout, following a 1-1 draw in regular time.
The upset left Juventus coach Thiago Motta openly criticizing his team’s performance, describing the early exit as a source of deep embarrassment.
Empoli struck first with Youssef Maleh finding the net in the opening half. Meanwhile, Juventus struggled to mount any meaningful offense before halftime, prompting Motta to address his team’s poor showing in a candid post-match press conference.
“Shame. I feel shame for what we saw in the first half, and I hope my players feel the same,” Motta stated.
“The attitude was unacceptable. Perhaps I failed to convey the weight of this match and the honor of wearing the Juventus shirt. We made mistakes, and now we’re paying the price.”
Juventus managed to level the score through Khephren Thuram‘s second-half goal, forcing the match into penalties.
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However, Empoli held their nerve from the spot. Juventus’ Dusan Vlahovic missed the opening penalty, and goalkeeper Devis Vasquez‘s crucial save against Kenan Yildiz paved the way for Luca Marianucci to seal the victory.
Motta emphasized the need for Juventus to reset quickly: “We need to get back to basicswork hard in training, support each other, and truly respect the history of this club.”
The victory propels Empoli, who earned promotion in 2021 after winning Serie B, into their first Coppa Italia semifinal since the 2006-07 season. They will face Bologna in April.
Despite Empoli’s struggles in Serie A where they remain winless in 11 matches and recently suffered a 5-0 drubbing by Atalanta the club has proven formidable in the cup competition.
Their journey to the semifinals included a penalty shootout triumph over Fiorentina and a 2-1 win against Torino.
In the other semifinal, rivals Inter Milan and AC Milan will clash in a highly anticipated showdown.
