Ex-Sporting keeper hits out at Benfica over Ivanovic: underused | OneFootball

Franjo Ivanovic is very close to leaving Benfica in this summer transfer window. The Croatian striker appears set for a move to Hull City, and negotiations between the two clubs are progressing well. Paulo Alemão, who played for Sporting between 1999 and 2003, argues that the player was never used in the position where he could perform best.

"A year ago, I had high expectations for Ivanovic, a player whose ability I rate very highly, but here I also have to put myself a little in the player’s shoes, because I think he wasn’t used properly either. They never really played him in the position where he is truly effective", he began by saying on BOLA TV.

The current goalkeeping coach of Alcochetense spoke about the partnership with Vangelis Pavlidis. "There were a few games in which he played alongside Pavlidis, and I looked at that pairing and even thought they could complement each other very well. Pavlidis is a very link-up-oriented player, someone who can receive and lay it off facing play, and Ivanovic is a very explosive player, very strong at attacking space in behind and physically powerful", he analyzed.

However, Paulo Alemão highlights that the two forwards were playing each other’s roles. "It often seemed like they were reversing roles: Ivanovic would drop in to offer support and Pavlidis would go looking for space. I’m not taking anything away from him, because he’s a player I like, who has ability, is still young and has good attributes for a centre-forward. He was not happy at the Luz, but that does not mean he is not a good player",

The arrival of Jhon Durán increased competition in Benfica’s attack and paved the way for Ivanovic’s move to Hull City. In this way, Rui Costa is preparing to complete a deal that allows Benfica to balance the books while, at the same time, offering the striker an opportunity to relaunch his career in England.

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇵🇹 here.