Juventus boss Luciano Spalletti was particularly praiseful of Kenan Yildiz following Saturday’s crucial 2-1 win over Roma.
The Bianconeri broke the deadlock late in the first half through Francisco Conceicao, but it was the Turkish star who instigated the play on the left flank.
The 20-year-old also came extremely close to finding the back of the net himself in the second period, but his fabulous effort crashed against the post.
While Yildiz certainly made an impact in the final third, Spalletti was equally impressed with his contribution in the defensive phase.
The Juventus head coach praised the Turkiye international for his generous efforts at the back and willingness to fight for the cause.
“A match is an empty box that needs filling. And you can’t fill it only with what you have, but also with what you don’t,” said the former Italy manager in his post-match interview with Sky Sport Italia via IlBianconero.
“You have to be willing to do the most uncomfortable things. Yildiz dropped deeper in the second half and covered the flank. His opponents know how good he is better than he does himself, and he still doesn’t fully understand how rivals, who have a clear idea of his strength, perceive him,” added the manager.
Kenan Yildiz (Photo by Gabriele Maltinti/Getty Images)
“He did a job that isn’t really in his nature, but when you face top-level teams — well-drilled, balanced, with a coach who sets them up properly — they come at you with a third defender, a fifth defender, and an attacking midfielder.
“If players like Yildiz and Conceição don’t defend, they’ll pin you back and play through you.”
On the other hand, Edon Zhegrova had a mixed cameo after replacing Conceicao at the hour mark. The Kosovar created the second goal for Juventus with a sublime cross for Weston McKennie. However, he then gave away the ball cheaply in his own half, allowing Tommaso Baldanzi to revive Roma’s hopes by halving the deficit.
Therefore, Spalletti admitted that the former Lille star has some limitations in his game, despite his brilliant skillset.
“Zhegrova can’t do that; he doesn’t know how. If you bring him into midfield, he doesn’t have those qualities. If you put him in a position to go one-on-one in the final 20 metres, he becomes deadly.
“The issue is always the same: if I can keep the ball and allow him to attack those last 20 metres, that’s fine, but if I can’t, he pays the price. He’ll never be able to do it consistently; defensively, he becomes something fluid, because he simply doesn’t have those characteristics.”
“Zhegrova doesn’t know how to defend — he doesn’t know when to step out, press the opponent or make a tackle. A team like Roma has a clear identity, but it will always look to exploit weaknesses.”
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