Hunting Italians? Ivanovic aims to shine in Juventus v Benfica | OneFootball

Franjo Ivanovic has had irregular playing time under José Mourinho, but he stood out in Benfica’s last Champions League match, with a 2-0 victory over Napoli at Estádio da Luz. In that match, the Croatian striker was in the starting lineup and provided the assist for the first goal. Now he wants to shine again against Juventus.

The mobility and physicality that the Croatian international brings to the game could be decisive factors for José Mourinho in the match in Turin, offering offensive alternatives and greater dynamism in attack. The Portuguese coach is considering his role in the squad for a demanding European duel, where every detail could be crucial to the final result.

However, since the match against Napoli, Ivanovic has only started once more, in the 2-0 win over Farense in the Portuguese Cup, a game in which he scored one of the goals. In the remaining matches, the Croatian international was mostly used in the final stages of games: Moreirense (77’), Famalicão (81’), SC Braga (both at 80’ in the League and League Cup), Estoril (87’) and Porto (83’).

Ivanovic was signed from Union St. Gilloise, Belgium, in the summer, for 22.8 million euros. At 22 years old, with a contract until 2030 and a release clause of 100 million euros, the striker represents a significant investment by Benfica’s board, but he is still seeking to establish himself regularly in the starting eleven.

This season for Benfica, Ivanovic – valued at 20 million euros – has played 29 matches: 15 in Liga Portugal Betclic, eight in the Champions League, four in the Portuguese Cup, and two more in the League Cup. In his 1,081 minutes on the pitch, he has scored five goals and provided one assist.

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