Juventus, how Alajbegovic is already stronger than Yildiz: will Spalletti know how to make them play together?
Alajbegovic’s performance prompts thoughts about the similarities and differences with Yildiz, and how the two could coexist
Juventus's emphatic win over NEC Nijmegen gives the Bianconeri some much-needed fresh air, easing the after-effects of the sensational defeat to Sassuolo. The 5-0 win over the Dutch side, a goal feast featuring Nico Gonzalez, remarkably from a Grabara assist, Alajbegovic, Woltemade, Celik and Kolo Muani, must naturally be taken with a pinch of salt. NEC's open approach, and the not especially high technical level of Dick Schreuder's side, tell Luciano Spalletti and Juventus to keep their feet on the ground, while still taking the positive attitude shown throughout the 90 minutes and, above all, the route to goal found by Alajbegovic, Woltemade and, especially, Kolo Muani.
Beyond the necessary caveats about the real weight of an opening-match win in the Europa League, the standout feature of last night's match at the Allianz Stadium was Kerim Alajbegović's performance. The 18-year-old Bosnian, who turns 19 in three days, delivered a high-level display, with a goal and several pieces of play that drew applause from the Juventus crowd. Commentators noticed too, including Alessandro Costacurta on Sky: "Alajbegovic is becoming very good and I want to highlight that: because since I hear this lad being underestimated, I say instead that he will have a great future". Alajbegovic's display matters because it was not a one-off, but followed other good performances: against Sassuolo he was one of the few Juventus players to earn a pass mark, and he had also impressed against AC Milan and Parma, after the 90 minutes on the bench on his debut against Frosinone.
Alajbegovic and Yildiz
Kenan Yildiz was on the pitch against Frosinone too, and he picked up the injury in that very game. With the Turk in mind, and after Alajbegovic's display yesterday, it is only natural to wonder already how the two will coexist when the number 10 returns at the start of November. The number 17 is now finding his place in exactly the areas of the pitch Yildiz usually occupies: he starts on the left and then moves inside. These are the kind of selection headaches every team and every manager welcome: Spalletti will have both the pleasure and the responsibility of finding a way to make them coexist.
For now, as well as the similarities between Yildiz and Alajbegovic in terms of their position on the pitch, the Bosnian's first appearances for Juve are also showing up the differences between the two. Compared with Yildiz, Alajbegovic is less powerful and less explosive over short distances. Compared with Yildiz, Alajbegovic plays more often with his head up and seems to read the game better over longer distances, as shown by the superbly precise through ball for Nico Gonzalez in the move that led to Juventus' penalty against NEC, a type of pass we have rarely seen from Yildiz, who is more inclined to burst forward with his head down and then provide assists from the byline with a cut-back. In short, the two share similar qualities but also have clear differences. With a manager who knows how to make them coexist, bringing out the complementary sides of their qualities and smoothing out the similar ones, Juventus' future could be bright.
