Juventus head coach Luciano Spalletti has compared injured Kenan Yildiz to Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, while cautioning that striker Dusan Vlahovic creates his own difficulties regarding emotional balance on the pitch.
Drawing Parallels with Elite Talent
Spalletti sat down for a lengthy interview with Tuttosport, where the manager reflected on his track record of nurturing footballers throughout his career. Among his current charges in Turin, Kenan Yildiz stands out despite currently recovering from knee surgery.
For me, he is comparable to Kvaratskhelia, Spalletti told Tuttosport, highlighting the Turkiye international’s development under his guidance. Although he requires more playing time, I notice common traits in his erratic nature, his tendency to defy conventional footballing rules and rhythms.
Yildiz puts the chrome on top of football, he makes it shine, Spalletti added. Every action he takes is brilliant and defies the system, meaning that upon taking off, even he might lack a preconceived idea of his subsequent move. Sometimes in training I see the defender predict his movement, and still can’t stop him. He has the madness of invention.
Spalletti’s history with players includes working with Kvaratskhelia during their time together at Napoli before the player became a Ballon d’Or contender at Paris Saint-Germain. The manager also pointed to his past success in working with players like Mohamed Salah at Roma, David Pizarro at Udinese, Stanislav Lobotka at Napoli, and Joao Cancelo at Inter.
Managing Dusan Vlahovic and Personal Balance
While Yildiz earns high praise for his innate unpredictability, the situation surrounding striker Dusan Vlahovic requires a different approach from the coaching staff.
As for Vlahovic, he still needs to find that personal balance within himself, because he causes his own trouble, Spalletti stated. Giving it too much gas is just as bad as not giving enough. It’s a question of balance, finding the right emotional temperature.
The manager contrasted these current squad dynamics with his past regrets, singling out Adam Ounas at Napoli as a talent he feels he did not fully understand during their time working together.
| Player | Club Context Referenced | Spalletti’s Assessment |
|---|---|---|
| Kenan Yildiz | Juventus | Compared to Kvaratskhelia; possesses the “madness of invention.” |
| Khvicha Kvaratskhelia | Napoli | Adapted successfully from a different style of football. |
| Dusan Vlahovic | Juventus | Needs to find personal balance; “causes his own trouble.” |
| Mohamed Salah | Roma | Highlighted as a player of elite caliber. |
Spalletti emphasized that a manager’s primary responsibility extends beyond simply assembling talented individuals into a single starting lineup.
A coach must establish a comfortable atmosphere, though the true priority is uniting the squad around a shared mindset, Spalletti explained. Rather than simply throwing together a rough mix of players, our goal is to extract hidden potential from every single one of them.
As Yildiz works his way back from knee surgery, the focus in Turin remains on integrating these personalities as Juventus navigates the ongoing Serie A campaign.
