Just a spot on the bench for the Bianconeri player, who saw only 20 minutes of action in March

Zero minutes for Edon Zhegrova with the national team. The Juve forward remained on the bench for the entire match against Slovakia; during Kosovo’s incredible 4-3 victory in Bratislava, he watched from the sidelines. He is the star of his national team, but the real news is that his teammates managed to make up for his absence: the dream of reaching the World Cup is still alive, even though the “Messi of the Balkans” was left out.

For Juve, it’s old news. There’s no tactical decision behind his exclusion from the national team, but rather a precarious physical condition: in Turin, the player has been working since his arrival to get back on track, following the groin issues that have slowed him down in recent years. With the support of the staff, Zhegrova focused much of his daily routine during his first months at Juve on physical therapy, with increasing involvement in performance training. The trend then reversed midway through the season, when—while continuing to do strength training on the side—he returned to the field on a regular basis.

management—  However, the player’s management still requires great care: Spalletti, who values him and has even nicknamed him “Mister Zeppetta,” used him for just two minutes in the final push of the last match against Sassuolo, after keeping him on the bench for two consecutive games. In March, he played just 20 minutes, including an 18-minute stint against Roma. The forward is working to increase his playing time, but for now he must contend with the significant limitations imposed by his physical condition.