Sergej Barbarez, the Bosnia and Herzegovina national coach, has given his view of Kerim Alajbegović, the talent of the Bosnian national team and of Juventus. The comments come in an interview with Tuttosport and arrive a week after the teenager scored against Napoli and set a European record for the youngest player with a goal and an assist this season.
How He Was Brought Into the Bosnian Setup
Barbarez described his early involvement. “I saw him several times in Bayer Leverkusen’s Under-19 matches, and I was the one who insisted that he be promoted to our Under-21 national team. We were simply waiting for him to start playing at a professional level, which happened at Salzburg. That was the signal that pushed us to call him up immediately with Bosnia.”
On the move to Turin: “Juventus has known his enormous potential for a long time. For Kerim it is a big step forward, and I believe that in Turin he can learn a lot and grow further.”
“He Is Not Afraid of Anything”
On Alajbegović’s best qualities: “Besides technique, the ability to beat a man one-on-one and to use both feet, what impresses most, considering his age, are his confidence in his own means and his courage. He is truly not afraid of anything. He took on big responsibilities right away, despite being only 19 and only in his second season as a professional. It is an aspect I appreciate a lot. He wants to be involved in the game and help the team, and he is doing so at Juventus too.”
The description of two-footedness matches Tuttosport’s own account of the goal against Napoli, which noted his “disarming naturalness” as a player who strikes equally powerfully with either foot. The “fearless” label is also a pointed counterpoint to the criticism Juventus have faced all autumn for lacking personality and courage, a theme McKennie, Spalletti and Carnevali all raised.
Can He Handle the Pressure?
Asked whether he is ready to handle the pressure of Juventus, Barbarez was measured. “Yes, but he will need time, like any young player. He must concentrate on football, work hard and not feel the need to prove everything immediately.”
It is a fair caution after a season in which Alajbegović was substituted at half-time three times in Serie A before his Napoli breakthrough.
The Ballon d’Or
On the future: “There is no need to say much. The seventh place in the ranking for the best young player in the world at the Ballon d’Or, the Kopa Trophy, was not a coincidence. In the future he can get there, with time and hard work. He has a bright future ahead of him.”
The reference is to Alajbegović’s finish in the Kopa Trophy standings, which I noted earlier as a Golden Boy-type recognition in this period.
