Dusan Vlahovic silenced the rumours surrounding his future at Juventus and gave his thoughts on the title race with Inter this season.
The 23-year-old Serb was heavily linked with a move away from Turin in the summer transfer window, with the Bianconeri seemingly looking to offload the striker to lighten up their wage bill and allow the arrival of a new reinforcement like Romelu Lukaku.
Vlahovic ultimately stayed with Juventus and started the season well, scoring four goals in the first four games. He fell quiet after this, but bounced back in the Derby d’Italia, scoring the opening goal just before the half-hour mark.
Speaking on page two of today’s Gazzetta dello Sport, Vlahovic first discussed how it felt to have a 71-day goal drought this season.
“I didn’t have any anxiety. I don’t know any secrets other than daily work. Football is made up of ups and downs like life, but the difference is your mentality, how much you can stay clear and not let yourself be influenced.
“I wasn’t worried, just focused on the pitch and on helping the team. When you unlock goals, they all come together.”
He reflected on the draw in the Derby d’Italia.
“We know we’re strong, it wasn’t an easy match against the favourites for the Scudetto and the draw gives us even more conviction, it means we’re there.”
The Serbian striker was asked if the players are dreaming of the Scudetto this season.
“Footballers must always dream, we all have our goals, personal and as a team. The priority is to get back into the top four and play in the Champions League again, then we will see how we are placed in the table and what we can do.
“Everyone in the locker room has the ambition to win because the Juventus shirt asks this of us.”
Vlahovic revealed his personal goals.
“Help the team more. Goals and performances serve to achieve collective goals.”
He was asked about the fact that three of his five goals this season have come with his weaker right foot.
“Everything is the result of work. In our profession we can always improve, I can do it as a young person as well as someone who is at the end of their career. Just look at Cristiano Ronaldo. This is my daily life, every day I focus both on what I do well and on what comes less naturally to me.
“Only in this way will I become a complete player. The secret is to never stop. Football has gone too far, if you want to become a top player you can’t afford to have many defects.
“Footballers are increasingly technical and physical. I don’t leave anything out and I hope that the results will be seen.”
The 23-year-old reflected on the noise in the summer transfer window.
“I didn’t experience it as a different summer from the others, from my point of view nothing happened. I have always been focused and calm, even during the tour in America, when I missed the match against Milan due to a physical problem. I have always been calm.”
He was asked if he ever thought about leaving Juventus.
“No, I was always sure I wanted to stay. The noises are always there, and they are part of the game, if we start listening to everyone, we can go crazy. I isolated myself and only thought about the retreat and in the end I’m very happy I stayed. It was what I wanted.”
Vlahovic spoke about how it felt to receive the support from fans amidst the transfer market rumours.
“I can only thank them because they are always present, at Continassa, at the stadium, on away games. I want to give my best for them too. It’s exciting and nice to know that they are on my side.”
The 23-year-old touched on how it felt to play for Juventus.
“It’s actually much better. Only by being inside can you realize the size of the club and everything that goes around it. Everyone would like to be in our place. I never had doubts, I always wanted to stay in black and white.”
He spoke about his friendship with teammate Federico Gatti.
“From day one something clicked. I was amazed by what he went through and how he got here. His story can be an example for children, everything is inside, don’t give up, always believe because all dreams can come true with hard work.
“Gattone is always on point. Now he wants me to read a book… He’s a good guy but he’s not the only one, we’re a great group and the climate here is very positive.”
He reflected on how he could’ve worked in medicine had he not been a footballer.
“After primary school my mother wanted me to follow a double path, playing football yes but without neglecting school. I attended an institute that prepares you to study medicine, then I joined the first team, and I couldn’t do it anymore, because it was very complex.
“I enrolled in a normal school to finish middle school, I had already decided what I would do when I grew up.”
The striker spoke about his passion for basketball, shared with coach Massimiliano Allegri.
“When I was five, I played basketball, but all my friends in the neighbourhood played football so I asked my mother to change.
“They took away the basket at Continassa, but Allegri knows that when he wants he can challenge me. It’s always a pleasure to play with him because he has a winning mentality that he can pass on to you. He always wants to win, like me.”
Vlahovic discussed Allegri’s winning mentality.
“Let’s say that he always turns it in such a way that he is the winner, but competitiveness is always good because it helps you grow in mentality. Allegri is a winning coach and having someone like him on the bench is a big help. That’s the thing that immediately struck me about him.”
He explained how Juventus have improved despite barely changing the squad.
“When you play for Juventus, the spark must necessarily come from you because you have the obligation to always win.
“We are a solid and aware group, sometimes we suffer and this unites us even more. We started very well, we’re moving forward game by game and at the end of the season we’ll take stock.”
The Serbian striker discussed his relationship with Federico Chiesa.
“We know each other from Fiorentina, we are similar because we are both very ambitious. We are friends even off the pitch, it’s always nice to play with him. Little happened last year, but now we are both physically well and we have to do our part.
“We are very different but understanding comes naturally to us. We don’t need to talk to each other, we know each other’s movements. We started well and we hope to continue like this.”
He made it clear that he isn’t bothered by the complaints about the team’s style.
“No, it’s not our opinion. We are training hard and well and when we go on the pitch, we have only one thing in mind, winning. When we succeed, we are happy. Ultimately this is the only thing that matters. Then it’s logical that we work on our mistakes to try to improve.”
The 23-year-old commented on the eight-goal difference between him and Inter’s Lautaro Martinez.
“I missed some matches and I returned slowly. But I don’t want to make comparisons because we live in different contexts. He is a world champion, and I can only compliment him. He, Osimhen and Giroud are great strikers, but I believe in myself, and I have nothing to envy anyone.”
He spoke about Serbia’s qualification to Euro 2024.
“I took part in the World Cup but I wasn’t well and this is a great regret. Now we have qualified for the European Championship after 23 years, writing a page in the history of our football, but I am not satisfied. We have a good team, and we can do something important.”
He was asked if he’d play in Saudi Arabia in the future like his compatriots Sergej Milinkovic-Savic and Aleksandar Mitrovic.
“I play in one of the most important teams in the world, I am honoured and proud, for now I see myself here.”
Finally, Vlahovic discussed his contract with Juventus.
“I still have two and a half years left on my contract, we are in no hurry, but Giuntoli and my agent are already talking. I am very happy to stay here.”