Vigo returns as a difficult address in Juventus memory, and Darko Kovacevic knows why. Before Luciano Spalletti’s side face Celta in the Europa League, the former Juventus striker has looked back to the 2000 meeting that began with promise in Turin and ended in a painful night at Balaídos. His message for the present is simple: Juventus may be favoured, but they cannot afford complacency.
The coach and the club
Kovacevic believes Spalletti has a genuine European opportunity, even as Juventus continue to reshape their leadership structure and search for greater consistency in the league. He places Juventus among the leading contenders for the Europa League, alongside Milan, Benfica and Olympiacos, describing them as clubs with Champions League stature.
His preferred final would carry a personal meaning: Juventus against Olympiacos. Kovacevic has just completed a decade-long spell as sporting director of the Greek club and said Piraeus remains a place close to his heart. He is now waiting for another stimulating role, with a possible return to Italy among the options he would welcome.
The Serbian also noted that both Juventus and Milan could appeal to him professionally. Juventus have recently changed their executive set-up, while Milan are still looking for a sporting director. Having played for both clubs, Kovacevic said he would be open-minded, although he admitted that, looking back, he might have stayed longer in Turin.
At Juventus, however, the competition for places was formidable. Alessandro Del Piero, Filippo Inzaghi and then David Trezeguet were all ahead or alongside him in an attacking department that left little room for compromise. Kovacevic wanted regular football, even if he still regrets leaving earlier than he might have wished.
A lesson from Balaídos
The old tie against Celta remains his clearest warning. Juventus, then coached by Carlo Ancelotti, won the first leg at the Delle Alpi through Kovacevic’s headed goal. The return in Spain became one of those European evenings that stays with a player.
- Juventus took a narrow advantage from Turin after Kovacevic scored with his head.
- In Vigo, Antonio Conte and Paolo Montero were both sent off.
- Reduced to nine men, Juventus suffered a 4-0 defeat and went out of the UEFA Cup.
Kovacevic recalled that Celta were stronger then than the current side, with Claude Makelele, Valery Karpin and Benni McCarthy among their key players. McCarthy scored twice in that second leg. Juventus deserved to lose on the night, he said, but the wider regret has never disappeared: Kovacevic remains convinced that progressing from Vigo could have led Ancelotti’s team all the way to the UEFA Cup.
This Celta side have made a poor start to the season, but Kovacevic warned that their possession-based football demands respect. Williot Swedberg was identified as a fast and dangerous outlet, while Ferran Jutgla and Ilaix Moriba were also named as threats. Balaídos has an atmosphere of its own, he said, even if he does not regard it as comparable to the intensity of Olympiacos’ Karaiskakis Stadium.
Juventus, in his view, have all the necessary resources to win. The condition is discipline: no relaxation, no repeat of the loss of control that turned the 2000 tie.
The missing centre-forward
Kovacevic sees a more immediate issue in Juventus’ attack. He believes Spalletti is feeling the absence of Dusan Vlahovic, who left Juventus for Besiktas during the summer. The striker’s career has taken him through the black-and-white shirts of Partizan, Juventus and now Besiktas, with Fiorentina the exception in his senior Italian career.
Vlahovic remains attached to Juventus, Kovacevic suggested, and may one day question his departure. More importantly, he argued that Juventus should have kept him because Spalletti needs a genuine No. 9.
Randal Kolo Muani, despite scoring two goals, was praised as a strong forward but not viewed as a traditional central striker or an out-and-out scorer. Kovacevic’s assessment was that a club of Juventus’ level needs a proper reference point in attack.
His preferred answer is Nick Woltemade. The German stands 198 centimetres tall and, in Kovacevic’s description, combines height with technical quality and movement. He believes the striker needs confidence rather than a complete reinvention, and hopes a goal against Celta could alter the direction of his season, much as Kovacevic’s own goal did in the first leg 26 years ago.
With Kenan Yildiz injured, Kovacevic also sees two forwards as a possible option for Spalletti. He considers Yildiz’s absence extremely significant, calling the Turkish international worth “half of Juventus” in terms of his importance. If he were beginning work at another club and had the chance to make one extravagant signing, Kovacevic said Yildiz would be his choice. He stopped short of comparing him directly with Del Piero, but called him a special talent.
Who can decide the night
For the trip to Vigo, Kovacevic has picked out Woltemade, Weston McKennie, Alajbegovic and Francisco Conceicao as players capable of making the difference. He has a particular affection for Conceicao’s dribbling, adding that the winger’s father Sergio Conceicao was an exceptional winner in his playing days.
Kovacevic’s memories of Juventus are not limited to European disappointment. He regrets missing out on a Scudetto, but speaks warmly of the dressing-room life of that period. One memory involves his room-mate Mark Iuliano, who would switch on the television each morning for 10 to 15 minutes of cartoons. Kovacevic never knew whether it was superstition, but the image has remained with him almost three decades later.
He also looked ahead to Sunday’s major league meeting with Lazio, another of his Italian clubs. Kovacevic intends to watch, particularly with Gennaro Gattuso drawing admiration for his work. A Europa League run, he believes, could also give Juventus energy and confidence for their climb in Serie A.
As for Antonio Conte, currently without a club, Kovacevic expects his friend to return to Juventus eventually. But he hopes that comes only after Spalletti has had the chance to win in black and white. For now, the European chapter belongs to the current coach, with Vigo offering both opportunity and a reminder from Juventus history.
