Juventus great Gigi Buffon is backing the appointment of Thiago Motta as new coach.

Motta is leaving Bologna and expected to take charge of Juve.

“Juve are probably trying to inject new spark into an ambitious project and in my view they have had the courage to take a risk,” said Italy team manager Buffon at the Globe Soccer Europe Awards.

“I see this as a calculated risk, though. Considering what he has shown so far in his career, Thiago Motta is proving he has something special.

“I would say that even before Bologna, it was something of a small masterpiece at Spezia.”