Bosnia head coach Barbarez: “Alajbegovic is fearless, he’s different from everyone else. The Ballon d’Or? He could win it in the future”

Bosnia head coach Sergej Barbarez speaks about Kerim Alajbegovic, a talent for the Bosnian national team and Juventus: “Alajbegovic is fearless, he’s different from everyone else. The Ballon d’Or? He could win it in the future.”

Speaking to Tuttosport, Barbarez described 'his' Alajbegovic: "I watched him several times in Bayer Leverkusen Under-19 matches, and I was the one who insisted that he be promoted to our Under-21 national team. We were simply waiting for him to start playing professionally, which happened at Salzburg. That was the signal that prompted us to call him up to the Bosnia squad straight away. Juventus have known about his enormous potential for some time. It is a big step forward for Kerim, and I believe he can learn a lot in Turin and develop further."

On Alajbegovic's best qualities, Barbarez said: "Besides his technique, his ability to beat a man one-on-one and his ability to use both feet, what stands out most, considering his age, is his confidence in his own abilities and his courage. He really isn’t afraid of anything. He took on major responsibilities straight away, despite being just 19 and only in his second season as a professional. That is something I appreciate greatly. He wants to be involved in the game and help the team: he is doing that at Juventus too."

Do you think he is ready to handle the pressure at Juventus? "Yes, but he will need time, like any young footballer. He must focus on football, work hard and not feel the need to prove everything straight away."

Looking ahead, Barbarez said: "There is not much to say: seventh place in the ranking for the world’s best young footballer at the Ballon d’Or (the Kopa Trophy, editor’s note) was no accident. He can get there in the future, with time and hard work. He has a bright future ahead of him."