Max Allegri believes Dusan Vlahovic had a good game against Sampdoria, despite missing a penalty: ‘He’ll score goals later on.’ It was a far more difficult game than the Bianconeri might have anticipated as Samp fought back from 2-0 down to make it 2-0 in almost 60 seconds. Adrien Rabiot was on hand to give Juve a third before Matías Soulé capitalised on deflected Vlahovic header to secure the game.
Speaking with DAZN (As quoted by TuttoJuve) after the game, Allegri came to the defence of his young striker, insisting the goals will come in time, while also looking ahead to the midweek game with Freiburg in the Europa League:
“The missed penalty? There are two solutions: either you hit it….central… a flat central shot, or else you have to pick a corner. But Dusan had a good game, he’ll score goals later on. Tonight he did better, he came close, he must remain calm. Tonight he played better technically. I always say to him, he has to remain calm. It’s normal for a 23-year-old kid, let’s not forget he’s been at Juventus for a year. It’s not like he’s ten years at Juventus, it’s one year he’s been at Juventus. He has done well, he is doing well, he has returned from an injury, I think he has all the qualities to improve. He’s also done some work and it’s slowly paying off. Tonight technically he made some good plays and when he will be able to regulate his game management more and be less hasty and frantic when the ball comes to him, he will find the goal and give great performances”.
In view of Freiburg and Inter, what does you take as worrying and what as very good?
“We need to improve, let’s call it game management, in the sense that at 2-0 we can’t play in the open field, then because at the level of experience between Barrenechea, Miretti, Fagioli, in the middle of the field, which is the heart of the team… then when there is the moment to understand the game, after 2-0, we must not suffer, but we must go on the counter-attack and close the spaces, it’s normal that they pay a little. Those at the back, who are older, have to take them by the ears and put them in positions. But they did well, Fagioli played a great second half, on the first goal you have to stop the action. The second goal we conceded was the because of the first, but these are situations that when you have a few games at Juventus you play these kinds of games. We have to improve on this.”
Was Paredes sitting on the bench today out of your plans?
“No, I made a technical choice, because in any case compared to Enzo and Locatelli, Leandro is a less of a metronome player, more technical, and today I needed a player like Enzo, who is to all intents and purposes a first team player. He also played a good game, then in those moments he got a bit too drawn out, but the centre forward… you need experience, it’s not easy, at 22 years old, to manage the moments of the game in that role.
Fagioli is increasingly decisive and is also putting speed in his legs.
“Nico is growing as an engine, then to move him is difficult because he has a nice butt, with legs well planted on the ground, compared perhaps to Miretti who is less planted, but even Fabio tonight played an important game (he was joking, ed.). He gave a great ball in the first half to Vlahovic…. these are players who have an important technical quality, they see the game, they break free very well between the lines. Fagioli grew in the second half much more. In the first half after 2-0 we had to stay more collected, there they went a bit too much around the pitch.”
It seems there is no Juve without the quality of Rabiot…
“He’s a beautiful player to watch play, he has a different engine to the others. Today my prediction was for him to play 60 minutes and 30 for Pogba. Today it was important to win because on the pitch we have to score points. And we scored 53 at the moment, which is very important for us. Then we’ll see on Thursday what we can do.
How is Bremer?
“He is fine. He’s suffering a bit of discomfort on the patellar tendon in his left leg. He had a bit of discomfort and eventually came off. Bonucci came out because he took a blow to the outer tibia and is to be assessed tomorrow.”
“The points penalty? We don’t say anything because the club takes care of that. I repeat, when there was the ruling we had a reaction with Atalanta, we thought we had solved everything and we dropped points. What the boys are doing is important. We are now momentarily second because of what the boys are doing on the pitch. We have to work for it. Today Soulé scored, another one from the second team who came up.”
