Ivanovic frustrated at Benfica: Hard to keep up without minutes | OneFootball

Having a season below expectations, Franjo Ivanovic is dissatisfied with the few opportunities. However, those who know him assure that the Croatian striker is determined to turn the situation around and establish himself as a valid option. The number 9, who comes off the bench most often (22 out of 34 matches), has not started since December 17, in the away game against Farense (2-0), in which he scored a goal.

"He feels, and knows, that he can help the team much more. He showed that in the classic against Porto. But, to help and be in good shape, he needs to play. Without minutes, it’s hard to maintain the rhythm. Even so, he doesn’t give up: he’s a fighter, works hard, and wants to prove to Mourinho that he deserves a much better status," emphasized Ivica Medo, journalist at 'Gol.hr', the sports site belonging to Nova TV.

Ivica Medo has followed Ivanovic’s career since the player was a child. Therefore, he did not hesitate to state: "Of course he’s not satisfied. No player is satisfied when he doesn’t play or gets few minutes. He expected much more, which is natural: he had an excellent season in Belgium, was the best player at Union Saint-Gilloise and in the Belgian league, became a Croatian international, and scored his first goals for Croatia."

Even though any player needs time to adapt, Ivanovic already feels "comfortable in Lisbon". Still, the journalist admitted his surprise: "I expected Franjo to quickly become one of the important players at Benfica. I know very well the player he is, I’ve followed him for many years, since he was a child. He is a striker, but he is very versatile. He plays well with both feet, is fast, and has excellent technique. I even think the position that suits him best is as a number 10, as a second striker."

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

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