Former Milan player Zvonimir Boban believes new Juventus midfielder Teun Koopmeiners is not worth €60 million, while Inter midfielder Piotr Zielinski is more suited to Simone Inzaghi’s playing style than Davide Frattesi. Boban was speaking with La Gazzetta dello Sport, and shared his thoughts on the current state of Italian and European football.
Regarding the Champions League, Boban sees Real Madrid and Manchester City as the frontrunners. He praised Carlo Ancelotti’s ability to manage star players, stating, “If anyone knows how to manage stars well, it’s Ancelotti.” He also acknowledged the dominance of Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City, while noting that “The best football in the world is in Spain.”
When asked about his preference between top managers, Boban said, “To build, Pep is unique. To manage and not complicate things, Carlo is better.” He also chose Kylian Mbappé over Erling Haaland, adding, “Mbappé, but with a central striker and him free to roam where he wants.”
Turning to Serie A, Boban sees Inter Milan as the favorites for the Scudetto, describing them as “the strongest and most complete.” He expressed doubts about Davide Frattesi’s role, saying, “Frattesi is not a true midfielder, and I think he will find less space than Zielinski, who is perfect for Inzaghi’s game.” Boban praised Lautaro Martinez but cautioned that he “still needs to prove his qualities at the highest international levels.”
Regarding Juventus, Boban expressed admiration for Thiago Motta’s work at Bologna, calling it “a masterpiece.” He sees potential in the current Juventus squad, stating, “A beautiful Juve is being born with a great coach.” However, he was skeptical about the rumored transfer target Teun Koopmeiners, asserting, “Koopmeiners is not worth 60 million euros. He’s a great player, but he’s not a superstar who changes the dimension of a team, especially not a team like Juventus.”
