Vlahovic reveals two factors that can boost his displays – Will Juventus & Motta take heed?

Club News

November 17, 2024 - 8:00 am

Juventus striker Dusan Vlahovic sends implicit messages to his head coach Thiago Motta following his decent display for Serbia.

The 24-year-old wasn’t on the scoresheet in the 1-1 draw between his national team and their hosts Switzerland, but he provided the assist for Aleksa Terzic who bagged the late equalizer.

The former Fiorentina man was glad to make his return to the Serbian national team after missing the previous international break. He was also pleased with his team’s overall performance.

“I’m happy with the team’s reaction,” said Vlahovic in his post-match interview with La Gazzetta dello Sport.

“It wasn’t easy against this Switzerland team. I didn’t score, that’s true, but I’m not worried about it. The most important thing is the team’s result.”

Vlahovic then revealed he finds it easier to play for Serbia due to two key reasons. First, he admitted he likes being accompanied by another striker upfront.

“It’s easier for me to play with another striker, especially if he’s as strong as [Aleksandar] Mitrovic. He engages in a lot of duels, he’s an excellent passer and knows how to open up space for me.

“This way I can make the most of my characteristics in this tactical setup.”

Vlahovic added that he doesn’t have too many defensive duties in the national team which helps him preserve his energy for the final third.

“Moreover, coach [Dragan] Stojkovic has freed me from defensive duties, which is positive for a player with my physical structure. When I press high and chase opponents, I then risk arriving tired and less lucid in front of goal.”

Therefore, Vlahovic clearly implied these two factors would allow him to produce improved performances at Juventus, so it remains to be seen if Motta would oblige.

Nevertheless, we can confidently rule out the two-strikers idea, at least for now, due to the lack of options upfront.