Ex-coach on Ivanovic at Benfica: It’s not enough just to be… | OneFootball

Franjo Ivanovic reappeared in the Classic to offer Leandro Barreiro, with a cross from the right, the equalizing goal for Benfica against Porto. The 22-year-old Croatian forward, for whom the Eagles paid 22.8 million euros to St. Gilloise at the start of the season, has contributed little to the team. However, those who know him well believe that the bad phase will pass and everything will turn out fine.

"It's not always possible for players to have immediate success. Benfica signs a lot, and some players need more time to establish themselves. Ivanovic is young, at his age form fluctuates, there isn't prolonged stability like when players are more mature. Furthermore, forwards need confidence, and that confidence comes with games and, above all, goals," said Zeljko Sopic, his former coach, in a recent interview with the newspaper A Bola.

The 51-year-old coach, currently without a club after being dismissed at the end of February by Osijek, witnessed Ivanovic's rise at Rijeka in the 2023/2024 season, from which he was transferred the following season to St. Gilloise for 4 million euros.

"It's not easy to play at a big club like Benfica. It's not enough to be competitive in training and matches. It's also necessary to consider that the competition is very strong and Pavlidis is scoring many goals," highlighted the Croatian coach.

"Ivanovic will have a brilliant future. Now he's in a hole and it's not always easy to get out, but I believe 100 percent that he will get out of that hole," the coach asserted, for whom the forward "is mentally strong and will overcome the obstacles sooner or later."

This season, playing for Benfica, Franjo Ivanovic - valued at 20 million euros - has already played 34 official matches: 17 in the Liga Portugal Betclic, 11 in the Champions League, four in the Taça de Portugal, and two in the Taça da Liga. In the 1,152 minutes he was on the pitch, the Croatian recorded five goals and two assists.

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