The striker is leading the Bianconeri in Europe. And he gets excited when he challenges a top striker
Who can forget that debut in the Champions League. You sit down, arrange the session and Dusan Vlahovic is already there rejoicing at the Estadio de la Ceramica. At Villarreal it was February 22, 2022 – a date to be analyzed by a numerologist – when the Serbian striker experienced his baptism in the most prestigious club competition in the world. However, he didn’t even have to wait until minute 2 of the match to make his first signature of the tournament. After 32 seconds: Danilo’s very long throw from before the halfway line, he escapes the defenders in yellow, tames the ball with his chest at the entrance to the area and hits a right-footed shot to cross to the far post, twisting, without that Geronimo Rulli can oppose. Of course, the Spaniards drew that first leg of the round of 16, then mistreated Juventus (and eliminated them) in the return leg, but it doesn’t matter here. The first flash after half a minute, for a 22-year-old who had just been paid 70 million euros plus bonuses by Fiorentina, had the look of a business card. Settling-in time, zero.
At the center of everything
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That first edition of the Champions League then ended in the return match without any further rings, in the following one – extremely disappointing with the relegation to the Europa League – it only punctured Maccabi Haifa once and then, after a year of purgatory without commitments internationals, the current season with Thiago Motta on the bench. Beyond analysis and speculation, the numbers speak clearly for Vlahovic: five appearances for four goals and one assist, with an average of one goal every 100 minutes. One per game, almost. With the gore against Manchester City he explored all the possible ways to pierce the goalkeeper: right, left, penalty and header, and never mind if some of his goals seem “dirty” – Ederson knows something about this – because the reality is that Without him the Bianconeri would now have four points less in the standings and would be floating on the edge of the last place valid for access to the playoffs. And in his seasonal debut against PSV Eindhoven, despite without a goal, he still contributed by providing Nico Gonzalez with the hat-trick assist.
When you need it most
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The impression is that Vlahovic is exalted when the stage is the European one and the belly of the stadium sings the “music”, when every play weighs twice as much and each feat has a sensationally wider, worldwide resonance. If any victory comes from valid collective performances, having an element in the squad accustomed to big shots is a fundamental factor for any coach, even more so for Motta who leads a Juventus revolutionized in philosophy and men. At the beginning of 2025 the calendar matches the Bianconeri with Bruges and Benfica, then we will begin to deal with the direct elimination phase. Meanwhile, no Serie A player has scored as much as him in this edition of the Champions League and the blow that Pep Guardiola gave to his ghosts allows the fans to dream. If, instead of feeling your wrists trembling, the defense holds up and Dusan scores, every theoretical limit seems to be in the balance in reality.
I’m not afraid of comparisons
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Furthermore, Wednesday at the Allianz Stadium gave continuity to another trend that sees the Serbian as a protagonist, in Europe but not only. Punctually, every time a challenge pits him against another great center forward – already established or with prospects – he draws new life from it and always strikes. At home he did it at Inter in front of the eyes of Marcus Thuram and Lautaro Martinez, but it was in the Champions League that he really got to enjoy it. Two flashes in Leipzig to respond to Benjamin Sesko’s brace, one in Lille after Jonathan David’s flash and the last in Turin in the presence of the feared – but then caged – Erling Haaland. Be careful, though: Bruges and Benfica won’t have high-sounding number 9s, but Vlahovic’s goals will be terribly useful.
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