Dusan Vlahovic is unstoppable in “the other” Juventus jersey: fourth goal in 3 games
Dusan Vlahovic just keeps on going. After his tumultuous departure from Juventus, the Serbian striker seems to have found a new lease on life wearing another black-and-white jersey: that of Besiktas. On Saturday night, he scored yet another goal—his fourth in three games in the Turkish Super Lig—which proved decisive in a 2-1 victory over Fenerbahçe in one of the league’s biggest matches. It’s worth noting that a former Inter player, Milan Skriniar, had also found the net in the 26th minute, before Yilmaz equalized in the 38th minute and the striker—who was once a delight and later, above all, a thorn in the side of the Old Lady—scored the game-winner in the 73rd minute. Incidentally, at the end of the match, his long-standing rivalry with Romelu Lukaku—who entered the game in the 67th minute but was not nearly as decisive—flared up once again.
After all, Vlahovic’s scoring streak had already emerged in full force the previous matchday, when the Serbian scored a hat trick in a decisive 6-2 victory over Corum, opening his personal tally in the SuperLig after three scoreless appearances. On that occasion, he opened the scoring from the spot, coolly converting a penalty kick, before completing his hat trick with two strikes worthy of a true goal-scorer on crosses delivered from the wings. It was a standout performance, rewarded with a standing ovation from the crowd and a substitution in the 71st minute by Vincenzo Italiano, allowing him to leave the field to applause.
Meanwhile, Besiktas’s European campaign has already gotten off to a good start. Vincenzo Italiano’s team qualified for the Europa League group stage despite a 1-0 loss on the road to Lithuania’s Kauno Zalgiris, thanks to their 3-0 victory in the first leg. Vlahovic started the match and remained on the field until the 64th minute, coming off just as the home team scored their goal. This detail did not detract from the overall result, with Besiktas now ready to take on Europe’s top teams in the main phase of the competition.
In the locker room in Istanbul, Vlahovic also reunited with a former Juventus teammate: Fabio Miretti, who arrived on loan from Juventus at the Italian’s own explicit request. The midfielder, born in 2003, who came up entirely through Juventus’ youth system and has made 106 first-team appearances, accepted the move to Turkey knowing he was no longer part of Luciano Spalletti’s plans. For him, this is his first real experience abroad, in an ambitious environment and on a team aiming to make a comeback both domestically and in Europe. In Saturday’s derby, Miretti saw action in the closing minutes, helping to preserve the lead.
