Juventus were delighted to win the race for Edon Zhegrova in the summer from Lille, particularly as he had attracted interest from several leading European clubs. The Bianconeri viewed his arrival as a significant coup, believing they had secured one of the most technically gifted wide players in the game.
Zhegrova had performed well at Lille, although injuries hampered him during the closing months of his spell in France. Despite those setbacks, the Kosovan winger was eager to join Juventus, and the club were confident he would add creativity and unpredictability to their attacking play.
Struggles in Turin
However, his time in Turin has not unfolded as anticipated. Zhegrova has struggled to make a sustained impact and has often been unable to complete the full 90 minutes, leading the coaching staff to deploy him primarily as an impact substitute. While there have been occasions when his presence has added urgency and flair in the closing stages of matches, consistency has remained elusive.
His most costly moment came against Galatasaray in the Champions League. Juventus were 3-0 ahead in the closing minutes of normal time when the ball fell invitingly to him inside the Galatasaray penalty area. Instead of sealing progression to the next round, he squandered the opportunity with a wayward effort, leaving the Allianz Stadium disappointed. The miss ultimately proved pivotal in the context of the tie.
Edon Zhegrova (Photo by Gabriele Maltinti/Getty Images)
Strong Criticism from Pundit
The performance did not sit well with Mario Mattioli, who delivered a scathing assessment via Tuttomercatoweb. He said, “I think Comolli is incapable of managing a top-level club. This is confirmed by the fact that they signed a player like Zhegrova, who’s a small player who can play between seventh and tenth place in Serie A at best. Juventus, on the other hand, has to fight every year to win the league, and this squad isn’t up to par.”
Such remarks underline the mounting scrutiny surrounding both the player and the club’s recruitment strategy.
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