Dusan Vlahovic has found himself at the centre of a controversy following comments he made about his role in the defensive phase of the game. The Serbian striker, who has been in good form at Juventus, has stated that his national team manager, Dragan Stojkovic, does not require him to contribute defensively, a comment that has caused some unrest among Italian pundits, including former professional Antonio Di Gennaro.

Since Vlahovic’s move to Juventus, there has been growing expectation that the striker would develop into a top-tier player for the Bianconeri, with the club investing heavily in his services. However, the player’s performances have been somewhat inconsistent. Under Max Allegri, Vlahovic struggled to find his best form, and now under new coach Thiago Motta, he still seems to be struggling to live up to the hype surrounding his move.

In the wake of Vlahovic’s comments about not being asked to contribute defensively, Antonio Di Gennaro expressed his frustration. As quoted by Tuttomercatoweb, he said: “Do you want to leave in January? Go, but don’t say certain things. Before, Allegri was penalizing, or at least that’s what we were told, now even Motta isn’t good enough. Find a coach for him. Maybe Vlahovic isn’t the phenomenon we thought he was. And then I don’t like that in the national team, free from corporate conditioning, some people throw bombs.”

Di Gennaro went on to suggest that Vlahovic’s earlier success at Fiorentina under manager Cesare Prandelli — where he was consistently a lone striker — was a result of playing in a more favourable system, which has fueled further doubts about his adaptability to different coaching styles. He added, “At Fiorentina, with Prandelli, he played as a lone striker and yet he scored consistently. Some say that in Florence, not having wingers with inverted feet, he received cleaner balls, it seems silly to me. Thuram is now better than Vlahovic.”

The comments have raised questions about whether Vlahovic is truly the player Juventus hoped for. As Di Gennaro highlights, Vlahovic’s challenges cannot always be blamed on the managers, and it’s now clear that the striker needs to take more responsibility for his performance if he is to fulfil his potential at the Allianz Stadium. Juventus fans and pundits alike will be hoping that Vlahovic can find his consistency and prove his worth, as his lack of contribution in key games has been a point of contention since his high-profile transfer.

The situation has made it clear that while the striker has undeniable talent, there may be deeper issues at play, and it remains to be seen whether Vlahovic can adapt and rise to the occasion at Juventus or if his struggles will continue.

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