Dusan Vlahovic hoped to be the hero for Serbia at this World Cup but the Juventus star hasn’t managed to make an impact in Qatar.
The 22-year-old striker is an important figure for Dragan Stojković and his Eagles squad, having netted nine goals in 18 previous caps, but he was left on the bench for their vital clash with Cameroon, which ultimately ended 3-3.
Vlahovic did play 24 minutes of the 2-0 loss to Brazil, but by the time he came on it was clear where the game was headed.
Vlahovic missed Juventus’ last five consecutive matches across Serie A and the Champions League heading into the World Cup break, sidelined with an adductor issue.
The 22-year-old was desperate to be fit enough to take part in the tournament in Qatar and worked hard on his recovery, but his efforts have not paid off.
After two World Cup games, Vlahovic has only seen 24 minutes of action and risks leaving the tournament in anonymous fashion should things go wrong for Serbia against Switzerland.
Coach Stojković suggested after the draw with Cameroon that Serbia “are unlucky with injuries” and Vlahovic is still dealing with a groin issue, restricting his chances on the pitch.
On Instagram yesterday, the Juventus striker suggested that he was “always ready”, making his exclusion from the Cameroon clash extra disappointing.