GENOA, Italy (Reuters) – There has been too much scrutiny of Juventus striker Dusan Vlahovic’s recent form, coach Thiago Motta said on Saturday after his side beat Genoa in Serie A helped by the Serbian’s brace.
Juventus returned to the top of the standings following their 3-0 win, maintaining their perfect record of six league games without conceding, the first such run in the club’s history.
“(No goals conceded is) a team effort. Scoring goals starts well with (goalkeeper Mattia) Perin and not conceding goals starts with Vlahovic,” Motta told a press conference.
“We have a group that wants to defend to have the ball and recover it. This is very important, a team must be solid to aspire to something great.”
Vlahovic found the net twice as he converted from the spot after the break before he doubled Juve’s lead in the 55th minute to recover both the team’s and his own scoring touch.
“Honestly I think you pay too much attention to a single player,” Motta added.
“He has always been very good. I understand the expectations and needs of a striker at this level. But as I said from the beginning, he is a positive leader who helps a lot.
“I am happy because he scored but I was also happy when he didn’t. He must improve and be more connected with the team because he is an important player in many aspects of our game. He is fine and must continue to work as he is doing”.
Vlahovic was the last Juventus player to have scored in Serie A when he sealed their 3-0 win at Hellas Verona at the end of August with another brace, before Juve went on to draw each of their last three league games 0-0.
“The most important thing is that we won and we want to continue like this,” Vlahovic said.
“It’s no problem, people talk. If you score you’re the best, if you don’t you’re the worst. Everything is normal, it’s up to me to respond on the pitch and I will certainly do so.
“Sometimes there are fewer opportunities. People expect me to solve the games and that’s normal, I don’t run away (from the responsibility).
“I always do everything 100%, I’m super calm and I will always give my all on the pitch. For a striker when you don’t score it’s difficult, but today we won and that’s the only thing that matters.”
(Reporting by Anita Kobylinska in Gdansk)
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