Vlahovic Spalletti doesn’t change, he wants Vlahovic to start in Florence too

He went through the Turin derby with a slightly battered back and went through the trip to the national team with muscle discomfort due to too many close matches. But Dusan Vlahovic remains standing and once the alarm has passed he heads towards what promises to be his match of all time or, rather, since he decided to end the adventure on the banks of the Arno to embrace the Juventus cause. The Serbian striker, in these hours, has put the handbrake on: therapy at Continassa and little, very little ball. So what? The attack designed by Luciano Spalletti has its point of balance in Dusan: occupying the opponent’s area and, if necessary, taking care of the maneuver by communicating with his midfield teammates are the tasks for a center forward who has become indispensable to the cause. So it happens that, despite his less than perfect physical condition, the Juventus coach intends to rely on his nine for the very delicate stage scheduled in Florence on Saturday afternoon. Today, Vlahovic will start to struggle again like the rest of the team and, from tomorrow, he will regain confidence with the entire work program planned by the new Juventus coach’s staff.

Never scored as an ex

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In Florence, Dusan has never scored a goal since January 2022, when he put behind him a period full of special effects curves: four times he returned as an ex, the last time he was on the bench, twice he only came on at the end and 90 minutes were granted to him in the only window of the Italian Cup. Zero goals scored, zero personal satisfaction: his haul at Franchi tells this story. Spalletti will have to resort to turnover between the championship and the Champions League where the Bianconeri will return next Tuesday in the freezing cold of Bodo, northern Norway, beyond the Arctic Circle. A double version, or almost, with the unknown factor of the synthetic pitch which should not be underestimated: up there, in the small Norwegian town of 50 thousand inhabitants, the playing field often turns into an extra ally for the kids at home and a major danger for those who travel. Translated: one cannot fail to consider the danger linked to the unknown injury factor having to play in an unknown and slippery reality. So the turnover will concern Vlahovic himself: on the pitch in Florence and at rest, at least initially, where, in Bodo, the synthetic pitch could stress his back and muscles is the idea that Spalletti is working on.

Want to be there

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Dusan made Juventus hold their breath: only after the instrumental tests was the fear of having to do without him due to a significant muscle problem averted. The Serbian striker had given his willingness to take the field against Torino even with a sore back. And Vlahovic did not hold back wearing the Serbia shirt on one of the most painful evenings from a sporting point of view: the elimination from the playoffs for the next World Cup in June 2026. Thus, the center forward with his contract expiring has only the black and white left to shine and be decisive: the new CEO of the club, Damien Comolli, has made an appointment at the end of the season to define the Serbian’s destiny, but his future will inevitably be decided beforehand also because Vlahovic will be free to make an agreement with another club from February 1st. In Florence, Dusa returns for the fifth time as an ex and returns to a city in fibrillation for how it is experiencing its championship: the Franchi stadium will not be sold out as usually happens for what is seen as the match of the year. There are other problems in the Viola headquarters and among the fans: beating Juventus this time would only mean winning vital points to beat a coup, the first, in the championship. Vlahovic remained standing.