A hat-trick in his opening match, a rapturous reception at the airport, and a city that, in his own words, lives for football. Dušan Vlahović has begun his Besiktas adventure with a flourish — and speaking at length to Mozzart Sport, he has taken the opportunity to address the questions that have been hanging over the conclusion of his Juventus career: the contract talks that never happened, the benchings, the booing, and what he thinks of the club he spent four and a half years at. The interview is one of the most revealing and emotionally honest of his career.
“Istanbul? Phenomenal — Besiktas Wanted Me and That Matters More Than Anything”
The Serbian opened on his arrival in Turkey with genuine enthusiasm. “The impressions are phenomenal — both for the experience and the reception I received at the airport, then at the stadium. I am very satisfied and very happy.” On the city itself: “I have not had many opportunities to see it, but from what I have seen I like it very much. It is an important city, a metropolis.”
On why he chose Besiktas: “Beyond the important contract, they demonstrated the desire to sign me. They tried to contact me all summer, they did everything possible to bring me in. And I liked that very much — because I think that, in general in life, you should go where you are most wanted. The Besiktas president and sporting director came to Belgrade, stayed for seven to ten days, and we had discussions. Also important was the manager — Italiano, who I know from Fiorentina.”
“I Never Had a Single Concrete Conversation About Renewal with Juventus”
The section of the interview that will generate the most reaction concerns the long-running contract saga — and Vlahović’s account is the most explicit and the most personal he has ever given.
“For three years, while every day people were writing about and giving prominence to my renewal with Juventus, I never had a single concrete conversation with the club’s management about it. That is the only truth. I spoke with the board of directors only towards the end of last season and after it had finished. The last time we spoke was 2 June — that conversation concluded without an agreement, and from that moment there was no further contact with Juventus.”
He addressed the rumours about conditions being placed on any renewal with equal directness: “There was much talk about me having set various conditions — but that was not true.” And he acknowledged the emotional toll of the public discourse: “The people read the newspapers, the websites, and Instagram every day. When certain things are repeated day after day, it is natural that it begins to grate on you, especially if you are a supporter. I understand that perfectly. I never spoke about it because I did not consider it necessary, and out of respect for the club.”
“I Was Benched Only for This Reason — the Final Year of My Contract”
On the decision to begin last season on the bench, Vlahović was equally direct. “I started on the bench for a well-known reason — because I was entering the final year of my contract. In my view, that was the only reason why I started the season on the bench. Certainly, two new attackers had also arrived. But I accepted that role because I had decided to take that path.”
He pointed to his subsequent injury as evidence of his commitment: “The fact that I suffered such a serious injury six months before the expiry of my contract, I believe, speaks volumes about my attitude towards Juventus — regardless of whether I was in my final or my first year of contract.”
“The Booing in the Pre-Season Friendly Was Not Pleasant”
On the crowd’s reception at the Allianz Stadium — most notably the pre-season friendly against the Next Gen where he was whistled on and off the pitch: “It is not pleasant when the stadium boos you in a friendly match against the Under-23 side.” His understanding of it, however, was generous rather than bitter: “I understand perfectly — people read and absorb what is presented to them.”
“Spalletti Wanted Me to Stay — I Want to Thank Him for Everything”
The most unexpected passage of the interview was the warm acknowledgement of Luciano Spalletti. “I would like to take this opportunity to thank him for everything he did for me last season and for wanting me to stay at Juventus.” It is a genuine and significant statement — confirming what has been reported, that Spalletti’s relationship with the striker was warm and that the manager had advocated internally for his retention.
“I Left in an Excellent Mood — It Is a Great Regret We Were Not at the Right Level to Win Trophies”
On leaving the club: “I left in an excellent mood. The club gave me an enormous amount and I tried at every moment to reciprocate in the best way possible. For me it was a great honour to have the opportunity to be part of it, to wear the Juventus shirt, to play, to represent the club and score goals.” The regret was genuine: “It pains me deeply that we were not at the level required to compete for more ambitious objectives — to win trophies. But I am certain that a club like Juventus will return to that path as quickly as possible, because it is in the DNA of the club.”
“A Return to Juventus? In Football, Never Say Never”
On the possibility of one day returning to the club: “In football you can never know what might happen. In the past I made mistakes saying certain things — that was entirely the fault of youth, inexperience, recklessness. You do not have awareness of some of the things you talk about. So, never say never. In football, as in life, anything can happen. For that reason I exclude no possibility.”
“Italy Kept Me for Eight or Nine Years — It Saddened Me to Leave”
The farewell to Italian football received an appropriately bittersweet reflection. “I went to sign a contract with Fiorentina when I had not yet reached adulthood, moved there at eighteen. It is a long period. You get used to the life, the people, certain daily things. In a certain sense it saddened me — but on the other hand, it is our job. Life moves forward and you must live the present and look to the future.”
