Miralem Pjanic

[Socrates 7962]

 

 

 

 

Breaking down Miralem Pjanic’s debut season with Juventus

 

 

His stats varied by position, which has he played the best in so far?

 

 

http://www.blackwhitereadallover.com/2017/3/28/15080204/juventus-

miralem-pjanic-2017-serie-a-champions-league-positioning-tactics-stats

 

 

Mar 28, 2017

 

Tifosibianconeri English page - CLICK HERE

 

 

On June 13, 2016, Juventus opened their chequebook to acquire their first player of the summer transfer window, and subsequently inked him to a five-year contract. They spent €32 million to meet the player’s buyout clause from his current contract with Roma. That player was Bosnian superstar midfielder, Miralem Pjanic.

Since the day he was brought in, there was huge debate and speculation as to what his role with Juventus would be, and where he would fit in best. At this point in the season, he has spent time at all three considered midfield roles, so I have attempted to breakdown his contributions in each formation by the numbers.

The Data

Acquiring the data was no easy feat, as most of the publicly available statistics from Transfermarkt, WhoScored, and Squawka are not sortable, filterable, or exportable. Much of this work had to be done by hand, and was a long drawn out process. Credit must be given to Ty (Semperty) for his assistance both inputting data, and helping locate some of the statistics. If you would like to see the data or how these final numbers are calculated, leave a comment and I can send you a copy. The data collected and used is from all 29 of Pjanic’s appearances across Serie A and Champions League. Insufficient data was available for other competitions. The world of football statistics is certainly not perfect, and I would guess that there is money to be made in that category if it can be improved.

The Roles

So far, Pjanic has featured in three prominent roles. All minutes and appearance data is from Transfermarkt. He has played as the left central midfielder in a 3-5-2 formation for 15 appearances, with 1090 minutes played. He has spent two games as a regista in a 3-5-2 formation, but without statistical significance on their own, they have been added into the 3-5-2 LCM statistics. He has lined up as an attacking midfielder, or trequartista, in a 4-3-1-2 formation for five appearances with 368 minutes played. Finally, and most recently, he has been one of the members of a double pivot in a 4-2-3-1 formation for nine appearances, good for 673 minutes.

Positioning in each role

To illustrate his positioning on the field, I have decided to show a heat map of a game in each formation in which his stats from that game closely resembled the averages for that formation. All heat maps are courtesy of WhoScored.

To begin, I have selected Juventus’ 4-0 Cagliari victory on Sept. 21 where he operated as a left central midfielder in the 3-5-2 formation:

Miralem Pjanic heat map against Cagliari on September 21st.

 Courtesy of WhoScored

This heat map shows that Pjanic spends most of his time operating down the left side of the field. He still gets involved further down the field, but most time is spent just before the midfield line. There is some evidence of him instances of moving down the wings.

Next, I have selected Juventus’ Dec. 3 match against Atalanta, where they won 3-1 and Pjanic was deployed as a trequartista in the 4-3-1-2 formation:

Miralem Pjanic heat map against Atalanta on December 3rd

 Courtesy of WhoScored

Here is where Pjanic’s role is least defined. Part of me expected that when placed in this role, he was given the most freedom to roam the field as he sees fit. He spent a large portion of the game operating the wings, but also a surprising amount of time tracking back on defense.

Finally, I have selected Juventus’ game on March 19 against Sampdoria, where they won 1-0 and Pjanic was used as part of the double pivot in the midfield:

Miralem Pjanic heat map against Sampdoria on March 19th

 Courtesy of WhoScored

Here, Pjanic seems to operate more centrally. A large portion of the match was spent in his own half, and there isn’t much evidence of pushing forward.

Passing

Pjanic is no doubt one of the world’s elite passers. Here is where I examined his total passes (WhoScored), total short vs. long passes (WhoScored), completion percentage by type (Squawka), key passes minus corners (Squawka), and assists (Transfermarkt).

In regards to total passes attempted, Pjanic made the most passes per 90 in the 4-2-3-1 pivot role, with 78.75. Giving a top playmaker the opportunity to make more passes can’t be a bad thing, and this role has given him the most passes so far. Also in this role, he boasts the highest number of short and long passes per 90, and is completing them the most frequently.

The key passes metric shows that Pjanic made the most key passes per 90 while in the 3-5-2 formation, with 1.14. His numbers didn’t fall off a cliff while in the 4-2-3-1 formation, but they did drop to 1.03. I like this metric much more than assists, considering it is not based on whether someone finishes off the chance provided or not. Interestingly enough though, Pjanic does not have an assist while in the 4-2-3-1 formation thus far. In the small sample of the 4-3-1-2 formation, he has a high total of 0.83 assists per 90, while boasting 0.28 in the 3-5-2 formation.

Other noteworthy points include the lack of long passes used as a trequartista, with only 2.41 long passes attempted per 90. We can chalk up the low completion rate to a small sample size, but he wasn’t able to distribute long passes almost at all in this role.

Shooting

Pjanic is an expert free-kick taker, among the best in the world. Just that is a huge offensive contribution in itself. Aside from that though, he has been at least an admirable offensive performer this year. Here is where the least variation by role comes in. All raw data for this portion was extracted from Squawka.

Pjanic was able to take roughly the same amount of shots per 90 in all three roles. All four of his goals from open play though came from the 3-5-2 formation. This should not be the biggest of concerns for the team, though, as in the 4-2-3-1 formation there should be four bona-fide attackers relied on for the scoring.

Defense

The goal of the defense exercise was to measure how involved defensively Pjanic was in each of the three roles. The heat graphs already showed that he dropped deepest as part of the 4-2-3-1 role. To measure where on the field he made the most defensive impact, I analyzed his number of interceptions, and successful tackles. All raw data for this portion was extracted from Squawka.

Here is where the data showed strong variance for the different roles. His successful tackles per 90 for 3-5-2 and 4-3-1-2 were 0.68 and 0.46, respectively. In his new pivot role in the 4-2-3-1, though, his successful tackles per 90 have nearly tripled to 1.74. Similarly, his interceptions per 90 in the 3-5-2 and 4-3-1-2 were 1.02 and 1.35 respectively, have nearly doubled to 2.01 in his new role in the 4-2-3-1. From this, we can conclude that he has certainly made much more of a defensive impact in this new role, based on these two stats.

Conclusion

Pjanic has likely found his optimal role with this current Juventus team as a pivot in the 4-2-3-1 formation. By these metrics, Pjanic is able to make more passes at a higher rate, while delivering a similar amount of key passes. If the output of key passes stays up, the assists will more than likely come. He is still able to take similar amounts of shots, although the quality of these shots were not measured, or not made available to the public. He has also been able to significantly improve his defensive contributions in this role.

Stats are great, but they certainly do not paint the whole picture. Vote on where you think he’s played best so far, from the eye-test.

Poll

Where do you think Miralem Pjanic has best played his best football for Juventus so far?

• 2%

  3-5-2 (LCM)

  (3 votes)
   
• 19%

  4-3-1-2 (CAM)

  (28 votes)
   
• 78%

  4-2-3-1 (Pivot)

  (113 votes)
   

144 votes total

[Socrates 7962]

 

 

 

 

Pjanic has proved to be an upgrade

on Pogba - and at a €73m profit!

 

 

Now being played in his preferred position, the Bosnian is showing just

why Juventus were more than happy to sell Paul Pogba for €105 million

 

 

http://www.goal.com/en/news/8/main/2017/04/22/34840442/-

 

 

Apr 23, 2017

 

Tifosibianconeri English page - CLICK HERE

 

It's not often that one of the visitors is the best midfielder on the pitch at Camp Nou. Wednesday night was one of those rare occasions.

 

While Barcelona trio Andres Iniesta, Sergio Busquets and Ivan Rakitic tried and failed to rediscover some of their old magic, Miralem Pjanic did everything that was expected of him - and more.

 

The Bosnian is renowned for his pin-point passing and, in a game in which Juve were going to see less of the ball than usual, he was always going to prove integral to the Old Lady's hopes of progressing to the last four of the Champions League.

 

He did not disappoint. Everything went through Pjanic. No other Juventus player had more touches (76) or played more passes (51).

 

 

He didn't just retain possession either; he used it to create openings. The 27-year-old made three key passes during the game - only Neymar had more (4) - and one of them should have produced a goal.

 

Sadly, Gonzalo Higuain was unable to conjure up the finish that Pjanic's sublime chip in behind the Barca backline merited, with the Argentine volleying tamely into the arms of the grateful Marc-Andre ter Stegen.

 

Still, Pjanic produced the kind of controlled, classy performance in high-pressure circumstances that Juve had hoped Paul Pogba would deliver - yet never did.

 

The Bianconeri were Champions League runners-up the year before the Frenchman returned to Old Trafford for a world-record €105 million but he played very little part in their run to the 2015 final, missing the entirety of the hard-fought quarter-final win over Monaco as well as the first-leg victory over Real Madrid in the last four though injury.

 

Pogba returned for the return fixture at the Santiago Bernabeu but was a passenger on the night. In truth, Juve carried him through the majority of their most important fixtures during his successful - and undeniably influential - four-year stay in Turin and the fear was that Pjanic might prove just as heavy a burden.

 

 

Although touted as a bargain the moment Juve agreed to meet the €32 million buy-out clause in his Roma contract, Pjanic initially struggled to justify his fee.

 

His goal in the Turin derby on November 11 was his fifth of the season - he had conjured up just as many assists - but the truth of the matter was that he wasn't playing particularly well, failing to influence the play in the manner in which Juve had expected.

 

"I want to do more than just score free kicks," he himself admitted after settling a Serie A clash with Cheivo in Juve's favour with one of his set-piece specials. "I want to give more.

 

"I'm adapting to a new style of play and I know that the expectations are high."

 

He gamely insisted that he was getting to grips with his role as a trequartista but, in truth, it wasn't working. Indeed, there was even talk that Juve might consider selling Pjanic if he continued to struggle to serve as a stabilising yet incisive influence on the team.

 

However, Massimiliano Allegri's decision to switch to a 4-2-3-1 formation after a dismal defeat at Fiorentina on January 15 turned both the Old Lady and Pjanic's seasons around.

 

 

The switch has brought the best out of a number of players, including Mario Mandzukic and Juan Cuadrado, but Pjanic has been the biggest beneficiary.

 

Since being dropped back into a deeper midfield role alongside Sami Khedira, Pjanic has been revitalised. "It's going well with me playing as a mediano,” he admitted earlier in February. “The coach used me in every role in midfield but it's here that I feel very comfortable."

 

That has been borne out on the pitch. Whereas Pogba is still suffering the effects of being played out of position at Old Trafford by manager Jose Mourinho, Pjanic has now found his place in Allegri's team.

 

He not only has more goals and assists that Pogba this season, he is now dictating the play in a manner in which his predecessor has never proven himself capable - either for club or country.

 

 

Of course, the counterargument will be that Pogba offers more all-round attributes but Pjanic is now showing himself the complete package: a playmaker who offers protection.

 

At Camp Nou, he made nearly twice as many tackles as nearly every other player on the pitch - Giorgio Chiellini, Leonardo Bonucci and Alex Sandro racked up five apiece. Furthermore, no player made more interceptions (5) or recovered possession more times (10).

 

When asked about Pjanic's contribution to the cause after the game, Allegri simply stated: "He's just a wonderful player."

 

He took his time to settle but the Metz academy product is now illustrating why Juve were not too perturbed by Pogba's long-anticipated return to Manchester.

 

Beppe Marotta and Co. were confident that they had already acquired themselves an upgrade - at a profit of €75m. Pjanic is finally proving them right.

[Socrates 7962]

 

 

 

Pjanic: ‘Allegri helped me grow’

 

 

 

http://www.football-italia.net/102817/pjanic-‘allegri-helped-me-grow’

 

 

May 19, 2017

 

Juventus midfielder Miralem Pjanic says Coach Massimiliano Allegri “helped me grow”.

 

The Bosnian international joined the Bianconeri from Roma last summer, and could win the treble in his first season.

 

“Juve, Roma and Napoli are very strong teams who have made this a great season,” Pjanic told Sky.

 

“The League isn’t over, and we want to close it on Sunday against Crotone. If Juve have had such a good season up until now, it’s because they’ve been pushing us to do well.

 

“This year Juve have been, as the Coach once said, a squad of killers. We’ve been a war machine.

 

“Allegri has helped me grow, the boss has been very important for me this year and like every player I’ve definitely improved.

 

“I’ve learned so much, thanks to the group, the boss, the staff and everyone.”

[Socrates 7962]

 

 

 

'Allegri knows when to crack the whip' -

Pjanic hails ruthless Juventus

 

 

The Bosnian playmaker has been impressed by

the Bianconeri coach's man-management skills

 

 

 

http://www.goal.com/en/news/723/serie-a/2017/05/19/35660012/-

 

 

May 19, 2017

 

Juventus midfielder Miralem Pjanic has hailed the influence of head coach Massimiliano Allegri during his first season at the club.

 

Allegri has enjoyed superb success in Turin since taking over from Antonio Conte in July 2014 and looks set to continue that record this season.

 

Juve won the Coppa Italia final against Lazio this week and will claim a sixth consecutive Serie A title if they defeat Crotone on Sunday, while they have a second Champions League final in three seasons to come next month.

 

Pjanic has impressed since completing an acrimonious transfer from Roma last year, making 44 appearances in all competitions, and he has credited Allegri for knowing "when to crack the whip" to get the best from his players.

 

"It took me a bit of time to adapt when I first joined Juventus but coach Allegri has helped me a lot to settle in," he said, as quoted by Juve's official website.

 

"He knows when to crack the whip and when to put his arm round you and calm everything down and it's for that reason that he has a brilliant relationship with his players.

 

 

"Everything needs to be perfect to enjoy a season like this and credit for that has to go to the coaches, physios, background staff, everyone.

 

"You could say that we didn't catch the eye at the start of the season but we did grind out results nonetheless. We took that confidence and slowly we began to improve in all aspects of our play and you can see the results now."

 

With a first treble within Juve's grasp, Pjanic has talked up the "ruthless" qualities of his team-mates in what could prove to be a momentous final two weeks of the season.

 

"It was a great feeling to lift the trophy on Wednesday because it took an exciting journey to get there," he said. "When I arrived in Turin, I was asked to bring us home the Coppa Italia and a sixth consecutive Scudetto title.

 

"The club has put together an amazing mix of players who have won everything in their careers and those on the way up with a burning desire to be successful.

 

"The hunger and the tenacity that we have is remarkable. This team is ruthless, a real winning machine.

 

"This is just a unique and delicate period of the campaign. The whole squad is raring to go on Sunday. We have huge respect for Crotone who are on a great run of form and will be fighting for every single ball.

 

"I have no doubt that you will see a great Juve performance out there; we're fully focused on doing what needs to be done and sealing the title in front of our own supporters."

 

[Socrates 7962]

 

 

 

Pjanic: 'Now for the Champions League'

 

 

http://www.football-italia.net/102927/pjanic-now-champions-league

 

 

May 21, 2017

 

Miralem Pjanic reveals when he joined Juventus, “the President told me he wanted to break the record of five consecutive Scudetti. Now for the Champions League.”

 

The Bianconeri celebrated the sixth Serie A title in a row today, beating Crotone 3-0, and won the Coppa Italia against Lazio on Wednesday night.

 

“It was a wonderful week, above all for the Scudetto. It was the work of a whole year and we put so much into it to achieve these satisfactions,” Pjanic told Mediaset Premium.

 

“It’s a marvellous day for us players and the club. The first day I arrived at Juventus, the President told me that he wanted to break the record of five consecutive Scudetti.

 

“However, we still have the possibility of winning a 10^th trophy too and we’ll try to bring the Champions League home.”

 

With the change of system to 4-2-3-1 in January, Pjanic’s role was also adjusted after a difficult start.

 

“I had played in front of the defence with Luciano Spalletti too. In that position I can start moves from the back and push forward too. I really like this role and, after making many corrections since the start of the season, I think I’m getting stronger.”

 

Roma are fighting for second place with Napoli, which would take them directly into the Champions League group phase.

 

“I have great affection and respect for Roma. I hope they finish second, because they really deserve it.”

[Socrates 7962]

 

 

 

 

Pjanic Barca’s Plan B?

 

 

http://www.football-italia.net/104385/pjanic-barcas-plan-b

 

 

Jun 19, 2017

 

Juventus midfielder Miralem Pjanic is reportedly Barcelona’s ‘Plan B’ if they fail to strike a deal for Paris Saint-Germain’s Marco Verratti.

 

According to Gazzetta dello Sport via Mundo Deportivo, Verratti has “no intention” of returning to France or joining up with his teammates for preseason.

 

However, if the Italian’s will is not respected then both newspapers claim Barca will turn to Pjanic, who has “long been followed” by the Catalans, even before he signed for Roma in 2011.

 

Pjanic moved to Juve for €32m last summer and scored eight goals in 47 appearances to help the club lift a third straight domestic Double in 2016-17.

[Socrates 7962]

 

 

 

ARSENAL SET TO RESUME PURSUIT OF

JUVENTUS MIDFIELDER MIRALEM PJANIC

 

 

http://www.thehardtackle.com/news/2017/07/03/transfer-news-arsenal-

set-to-resume-pursuit-of-juventus-midfielder-miralem-pjanic/

 

 

Jul 3, 2017

 

Arsenal have reportedly reignited their pursuit of Juventus midfielder Miralem Pjanic as Arsene Wenger aims to bolster the Gunners’ midfield

 

According to TransferMarketWeb, as per reports emanating from the UK, Arsenal are ready to reignite interest in Juventus midfielder Miralem Pjanic. The Gunners are looking to bolster their midfield and Arsene Wenger seems to have locked down Pjanic as the value addition needed to lift the club’s midfield.

Miralem Pjanic is rated very highly in Europe. The player impressed during his time at AS Roma to earn a transfer to Juventus in the summer of 2016. And, the player carried on in Turin from where he left off in Rome, impressing everyone with his skills and calm presence in the middle of the park.

The 27-year-old managed 47 appearances in total for the Serie A champions, with 8 goals and 15 assists to his name. His presence in the midfield was immense as Juventus conquered Italy again and came close to becoming the European champions, before losing to Real Madrid in the final.

 

 

 

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Miralem Pjanić is so good at free-kicks he makes it look like an open goal!

He's been bossing it for Juventus and Roma 

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His statistics show that he is able to contribute to the attack despite focusing more on being a shield for the defence and absorbing the attack. Also, the 10 yellow cards he accumulated over the season also displays the player isn’t afraid to do the dirty work every once-in-a-while.

At this point of time, there seems to be little reason for Pjanic to seek a move away from Juventus. However, the club have become notorious for selling their prized possessions in the recent past and Pogba’s case has proven that the club is more than able to fill the void left by the departures.

According to the report, Juventus are not looking to sell the player, but may be swayed by a bid of €40 million or more. Pjanic will add his winning mentality and experience to the squad at Emirates, something which Wenger needs in abundance in order to break the squad’s current mental barrier.

€40 million in today’s market for a 27-year-old international with 4 years left on his contract seems fair value and Arsenal may just test the Turin outfit’s resolve with a bid around the aforementioned mark. It would, however, be interesting to see if the prospect of a switch to Arsenal will interest the Bosnian.

 

 

 

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The new Juventus away kit, modeled by Miralem Pjanic 

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At 27, the player has perhaps, around 5 years or so of top-level football left in him. Pjanic only has a Serie A and an Italian Cup to his name so far and would definitely love to add more trophies before calling it quits. And as it stands, Arsenal do not present a better chance than Juventus.

The Gunners though, may be able to entice the player with a better pay-package and the ability to test his mettle in what is labelled the most challenging and competitive league in world football.

[Socrates 7962]

 

 

 

 

Pjanic has thigh strain

 

 

http://www.football-italia.net/110540/pjanic-has-thigh-strain

 

 

Sep 28, 2017

 

Juventus have confirmed that Miralem Pjanic suffered a thigh strain before last night’s win over Olympiakos.

 

The Bosnian midfielder was named in the starting XI for the Champions League match, but he injured himself in the warm-up and was replaced by Rodrigo Bentancur.

 

“Miralem Pjanic underwent medical checks this morning that revealed a strain of the quadriceps muscle in his right thigh, sustained during the warm-up session just before kick-off of yesterday’s Champions League match against Olympiakos,” the Bianconeri confirmed in a statement on their official website.

 

“Initial examinations suggest it is a Grade 1-2 strain, but the midfielder will undergo further checks in order to set a clearer timescale for his return to action.”

[Socrates 7962]

 

 

 

 

‘Pjanic could be out for a month’

 

 

http://www.football-italia.net/110583/‘pjanic-could-be-out-month’

 

 

Sep 29, 2017

 

Bosnia and Herzegovina’s team doctor has suggested that Juventus will lose Miralem Pjanic “for 3-4 weeks”.

 

Juve confirmed on Thursday that Pjanic had suffered a thigh injury, and Reuf Karabeg claimed to have word from the Bianconeri that the midfielder was facing an extended spell on the sidelines.

 

“I’ve talked to my colleague at Juve,” he was quoted as saying by ItaSportPress.

 

“Pjanic has a two-centimetre injury to the muscle above his right knee and will be out for 3-4 weeks.”

 

The former Roma star would miss the Bianconeri’s crunch games against Lazio and Milan next month, plus two Champions League meetings with Sporting CP.

[Socrates 7962]

 

 

 

 

Pjanic: ‘Free kicks? I’m better…’

 

 

http://www.football-italia.net/111593/pjanic-‘free-kicks-i’m-better…’

 

 

Oct 20, 2017

 

Juventus midfielder Miralem Pjanic discusses his free-kick duels with Paulo Dybala - “I often win…’

 

The pair both take free-kicks for the Bianconeri, with the Bosnian curling in an equaliser against Sporting CP on Wednesday night.

 

“I often win, but Paulo kicks them very well,” Pjanic told Sky.

 

“Each of us kicks off his side, but we can invert them too. Everyone takes them in their own way, because it’s just a matter of sensation.

 

“For me, from 16 metres to about 24-25 metres is good.”

 

Pjanic also reflected on the 2-1 Champions League win in midweek, a game in which Juve struggled for long periods.

 

“It’s never easy to go behind, and we’d only taken one point from the last two in the League then had to go straight into the Champions League so we had to hold up mentally.

 

“We kept playing and the team responded well in a situation which wasn’t simple, because obviously expectations are very high for Juve.

 

“It’s a normal thing, but the squad has shown its strength many times and I’m sure we’ll prove in the next few games that we’re there, and our opponents will find a Juve which won’t give anything up.

 

“I’m very happy to have come back, toward the end of the 90 minutes against Sporting I was tired but that’s normal and will help me get back to 100 per cent match sharpness.

 

“We’re disappointed with the results of the last two games, we had some bad luck too but that’s part of football and you have to accept it.

 

“We know we need to improve, both individually and collectively, so we have to give more and be more convincing and clinical.

 

“We’ll work twice as hard to reign in those ahead of us.”

 

Two of those sides, Napoli and Inter, meet at the San Paolo tomorrow night…“We’re just focused on ourselves, there will be head-to-head games and in those we’ll have to take crucial points.

 

“Now though we’re just thinking about the match against Udinese, who will give 100 per cent against us. That means we’ll also have to give our all to win.”

[Socrates 7962]

 

 

 

Pjanic: ‘Juventus can beat Barcelona’

 

 

http://www.football-italia.net/112219/pjanic-‘juventus-can-beat-barcelona’

 

 

Nov 2, 2017

 

Miralem Pjanic declares Juventus “have already beaten Barcelona at home, and we can do it again”.

 

The Bianconeri drew with Sporting CP on Tuesday night, and now could be at risk of elimination if they can’t beat the Blaugrana in Turin, having lost 3-0 at Camp Nou.

 

“We’ve already beaten Barcelona once at home and we can do it again,” Pjanic told Gazzetta dello Sport, referring to last year’s quarter-final.

 

“When the time comes we’ll give our all, we want to get six points in the last two matches.

 

“I can assure you it’s hard to come here [to Sporting] and win 3-0 or 4-0, maybe you’re underestimating our opponents because Olympiakos and Sporting are both good teams, they’re good defensively.

 

“They close up at the back and then break with speed, so if you don’t face them perfectly you’ll find yourself in trouble.

 

“That’s what happened to us in the first half, but in the second we got a very important goal.

 

“I was too deep, but we found it hard to get out with the ball and we misplaced too many passes. In the second half we moved well between the lines, and myself, Dybala and Khedira caused them problems.”

[Socrates 7962]

 

 

 

 

Pjanic back on the pitch

 

 

http://www.football-italia.net/112613/pjanic-back-pitch

 

 

Nov 10, 2017

 

Juventus have confirmed that Miralem Pjanic returned to the pitch today, but he’s still following a personalised training regime.

 

The midfielder missed the win over Benevento with an injury, and has been forced to work in the gym over the international break.

 

With Sampdoria and Barcelona to come when club football resumes, the Bianconeri are keen to have the Bosnian back and he returned to the pitch at Vinovo today.

 

“Today Juventus trained in the morning in-between sessions in the gym and on the field,” the club said on their official website.

 

“The main aim of the training sessions was working towards improving their strength and conditioning.

 

“Miralem Pjanic stepped back onto the field today, and will continue his personalised training regime.”

[Socrates 7962]

 

 

 

 

Pjanic set for Juve renewal?

 

 

http://www.football-italia.net/114467/pjanic-set-juve-renewal

 

 

Dec 18, 2017

 

Juventus have reportedly opened talks with Miralem Pjanic over a new contract for the midfielder.

 

According to Corriere di Torino, Pjanic is considered “at the heart” of Juve’s project and an agreement could even arrive “very soon”.

 

The 27-year-old, who scored a free kick during the Bianconeri’s 3-0 win at Bologna on Sunday, would also be in line for a pay rise.

 

Despite the clamour to tie him down, however, the Bosnian still has three-and-a-half years left on his current deal.

[Socrates 7962]

 

 

 

 

Pjanic expects ‘close fight’

 

 

https://www.football-italia.net/117558/pjanic-expects-close-fight

 

 

Feb 22, 2018

 

Miralem Pjanic says he is expecting “a close fight between Juventus and Napoli until the final game” for the Serie A title.

 

Napoli lead Juve by a single point at the top of the table with only 13 games remaining, and Pjanic made it clear the Bianconeri would not let their dominance in Italy end lightly.

 

“It’ll be a close fight between us and Napoli until the final game,” the midfielder told Gazzetta dello Sport.

 

“We’re a step behind them for now, so we have to keep going for it game by game.

 

“After that, if we want to topple them, they’ll have to come and go for it here and we’ll have to answer this.

 

“We’re coming out of a complicated spell, with many away games, but we’re picking up good results and the important thing is that we’re all 100 percent ready.

 

“We all hope to recover as soon as possible, and with the whole team available, it’ll surely be easier to reach the end of the season still in all three competitions.” 

[Socrates 7962]

 

 

 

 

Pjanic: ‘Juventus want the treble’

 

 

https://www.football-italia.net/117635/pjanic-‘juventus-want-treble’

 

 

Feb 23, 2018

 

Miralem Pjanic declares Juventus “want to win it all”, and says “it’s a shame” Napoli were knocked out of the Europa League.

 

The Bianconeri have won the Scudetto for the past six seasons in a row, as well as lifting the Coppa Italia in each of the past three years.

 

However, they’ve failed to win the Champions League, losing in the final in both 2015 and 2017.

 

“It’s a pity that Napoli got knocked out of the Europa League, because they could have got to the end and maybe won that competition,” Pjanic told Sky.

 

“I think we’ll be fighting with Napoli until the end, and the head-to-head match could be decisive. They’re going at 1000km/h, but we want to win it all.

 

“We’re here to win the Scudetto, and to get to the end in the Coppa Italia and the Champions League.

 

“We’re players who are aiming to win everything, not just one competition.”

 

Pjanic shares free-kick duties with Paulo Dybala, would he give one to La Joya to get the Argentine back on the score sheet?

 

“Maybe he needs that injection of trust. We need to focus on him a lot for the end of the season, so I think I’d probably give it to him.”

[Socrates 7962]

 

 

 

 

PSG push for Pjanic?

 

 

https://www.football-italia.net/119116/psg-push-pjanic

 

 

Mar 28, 2018

 

Paris Saint-Germain have offered to double Miralem Pjanic’s wages and test Juventus’ resolve with a sizeable bid.

 

According to Corriere della Sera, PSG are proposing a five-year contract worth €8m a season after tax – almost twice as much as the €4.5m he currently earns.

 

Furthermore, Calciomercato.com believes Juve could be tempted if PSG ‘throw another €20m on the table’, with the Bosnian ‘worth double the €32m’ they paid Roma two years ago.

 

Both publications conclude the 27-year-old may be swayed himself if the French giants manage to appoint Antonio Conte or Max Allegri.

 

Pjanic is no stranger to Ligue 1, having played for Olympique Lyonnais before moving to Roma in the summer of 2011.

[Socrates 7962]

 

 

 

 

Pjanic: ‘Juventus not giving up’

 

 

https://www.football-italia.net/119480/pjanic-‘juventus-not-giving-up’

 

 

Apr 5, 2018

 

Miralem Pjanic insists Juventus “are not giving up anything” despite the 3-0 Champions League defeat to Real Madrid.

 

The Bianconeri were thrashed in the first leg of their Quarter-Final tie, so must score at least three times in the Bernabeu next week to have any hope of going through.

 

“Obviously there was a bit of regret, and we’re disappointed with the result,” Pjanic admitted, speaking to Sky.

 

“From the day after though the Coach [Max Allegri] made it clear to us that we have to go there to play in the return match.

 

“Obviously it’ll be difficult, but right now we’re preparing to play well on Saturday. Then we’ll go to Madrid to try and do something that will be very difficult, which is to try to get through.

 

“We’re not giving anything up, because anything can happen in football. Of course the first leg complicates things.

 

“In my opinion the goal at the start hurt us, it could definitely have been avoided. During the game I felt we were always in it and we had chances, we were pushing hard to score goals.

 

“Of course Cristiano Ronaldo scored two extraordinary goals worthy of such a great player, but in general the lads all know we had to do better in that game.

 

“Sometimes though the ball just doesn’t want to go in. I think we deserved to score at least one goal, but we faced a very strong and well-prepared team and we’re sorry that we lost in this way.

 

“In the return leg we’ll have a chance to correct things.”

 

Roma were also thrashed in their first leg, going down 4-1 to Barcelona, does that show the gap between La Liga and Serie A?

 

“We’re talking about two extraordinary teams, with players who are used to playing in these games. It’s true that the results were a bit harsh, both yesterday and for us two days ago.

 

“In certain games the little things go against you, against us Ronaldo had a great day and he’s more than capable of doing what he did.

 

“I’ll say again that I think we could have done a bit better. We have huge respect for Real, or a team like Barcelona, but we’ve always shown we can play against them.

 

“Then there were some incidents which went in their favour, we could have scored goals but Keylor Navas did well, then obviously they had chances too but when the result was still open we could still have changed the game.

 

“It’s the little moments that change matches.

 

“They have a very strong midfield and it's really very balanced with great players, they’re a complete team in every area, so they’re difficult to deal with.

 

“I think Juventus can compete with them though.

 

“With the Scudetto and the Coppa Italia it would be a very positive year, and we know that here we need to try and win the Champions League, which is definitely more difficult but now and in the future it’s something we want to do.

 

“But winning a seventh Scudetto would be an extraordinary thing and we really want to do it.”

[Socrates 7962]

 

 

 

 

Pjanic in doubt for Napoli

 

 

https://www.football-italia.net/120037/pjanic-doubt-napoli

 

 

Apr 17, 2018

 

Juventus will reportedly be without Miralem Pjanic tomorrow night, while the Bosnian midfielder is also in doubt for Napoli.

 

The playmaker had to be taken off in the 3-0 win over Sampdoria at the weekend, with his replacement Douglas Costa setting up all three goals.

 

According to this morning’s Gazzetta dello Sport, Pjanic will certainly miss the trip to Crotone tonight, having skipped training yesterday.

 

While the former Roma man does’t have a serious injury, he’s also at risk for the Scudetto showdown with Napoli.

 

The Bianconeri medical team don’t want to take any risks, not least with a trip to Inter to come, so if Pjanic isn’t 100 per cent fit he won’t face the Partenopei.

 

[Socrates 7962]

 

 

 

 

 

Barcelona v Real Madrid for Pjanic

 

 

https://www.football-italia.net/122101/barcelona-v-real-madrid-pjanic

 

 

May 29, 2018

 

Juventus midfielder Miralem Pjanic will be at the centre of a bidding war between Real Madrid and Barcelona, claim Spanish reports.

 

According to newspaper Sport and Sky Sports, Real Madrid see Pjanic as the ideal heir for Luka Modric.

 

However, French site Onze Mondial note Barcelona are also interested in the Bosnia-Herzegovina international, widely believed to be one of the world’s best free kick takers.

 

Pjanic just turned 28 last month and is under contract with Juve until June 2021, having joined in 2016 when they activated the €32m release clause in his Roma contract.

 

He speaks several languages fluently and had played for Olympique Lyonnais before moving to Roma in 2011.

 

The price-tag will be upwards of €65m if the Bianconeri are prepared to let him leave.

 

[Socrates 7962]

 

 

 

 

 

Juve to build team around Pjanic?

 

 

https://www.football-italia.net/122741/juve-build-team-around-pjanic

 

 

Jun 10, 2018

 

It is reported that Juventus will offer Miralem Pjanic a new improved contract to reflect his importance at the club.

 

The Bosnia-Herzegovina midfielder has been linked with a move to the likes of Real Madrid, Barcelona and Manchester City this summer.

 

However, Gazzetta dello Sport claims the Old Lady want to build their team for the seasons ahead around the 28-year-old.

 

As such, they are willing to increase his wages from his current €4.5m a year to €6m plus bonuses.

 

According to the Italian daily, Juve view Pjanic as an integral part of their plans. With Gigi Buffon gone and the advancing years of Andrea Barzagli, Giorgio Chiellini and Claudio Marchisio, the Serie A champions are in need of fresh on-field leadership.

 

As well as being an indespensible part of Max Allegri’s starting eleven, Juve also want Pjanic to provide assistance to young players and help instil the club’s winning mentality into new signings.

 

Pjanic, signed from Roma in 2016, has three years remaining on his current contract in Turin.

[Socrates 7962]

 

 

 

 

Pjanic: ‘Barça links fake news’

 

 

https://www.football-italia.net/123138/pjanic-‘barça-links-fake-news’

 

 

Jun 18, 2018

 

Juventus midfielder Miralem Pjanic assures links to Barcelona are “fake news”.

 

The Bosnian midfielder liked a photo on Instagram suggesting the Blaugrana are interested in him, sparking a frenzy of speculation.

 

“Mamma mia… for liking a photo!” Pjanic wrote on his Instagram story.

 

“I haven’t even read what was written. Fake news.”

 

[Socrates 7962]

 

 

 

 

‘Pjanic very flattered by Barca’

 

 

https://www.football-italia.net/123237/pjanic-very-flattered-barca

 

 

Jun 20, 2018

 

Miralem Pjanic’s agent has confessed that the Juventus midfielder is ‘very flattered’ by links with Barcelona.

 

Pjanic has emerged as Barca’s top transfer target this summer after they missed out on Antoine Griezmann and Andres Iniesta left for Japan, although Wednesday’s Tuttosport warns only €80m will tempt Juve into selling the Bosnian.

 

“We’re very flattered by this link,” Michael Becker told Mundo Deportivo.

 

“He’s attracted the interest of great clubs for the good things he’s done with Juventus.

 

“At the moment Miralem is on holiday, so if Barcelona want to sign him, they must contact Juventus to start negotiations.”

[Socrates 7962]

 

 

 

 

Pjanic spotted in Barcelona

 

 

https://www.football-italia.net/123391/pjanic-spotted-barcelona

 

 

Jun 22, 2018

 

Juventus midfielder Miralem Pjanic was spotted in Barcelona, with Spanish reports speculating he may have met with the Blaugrana.

 

The Bosnian has been heavily linked with a switch to Camp Nou this summer, with Barça seeking a replacement for Andres Iniesta.

 

Today Pjanic was pictured at El Prat airport, as he prepared to fly out to Ibiza with his family.

 

Catalan newspaper Sport believes he was in the city for at least 24 hours, during which time he may have met with Barcelona.

 

[Socrates 7962]

 

 

 

 

Pjanic won't confirm Juve future.

Chelsea set sights on Pjanic too

 

 

https://www.football-italia.net/124692/pjanic-wont-confirm-juve-future

https://www.football-italia.net/124696/chelsea-set-sights-pjanic-too

 

 

Jul 19, 2018

 

Miralem Pjanic said Cristiano Ronaldo is “a huge coup” for Juventus, but refused to confirm he would stay in Turin.

 

Ballon d’Or winner Ronaldo was presented to the media this week, although he won’t join training until July 30.

 

“He’s a huge coup, a great player,” Pjanic told Sky Sport Italia reporters as he left a restaurant this evening.

 

When asked if he would remain with Juventus and play alongside Ronaldo, Pjanic got in his car and left.

 

“Have a good evening.”

 

The Bosnian has been linked with a potential move to Barcelona this summer.

 

 

Chelsea are talking to Juventus about Daniele Rugani, Gonzalo Higuain and also Miralem Pjanic, as his new agent is Fali Ramadani.

 

According to Sky Sport Italia, Pjanic has just hired Ramadani as his new representative.

 

The pair were spotted having dinner in a Milanese restaurant this evening.

 

Ramadani just flew in to Milan today and has been notably close to Chelsea, helping to broker the deal with Napoli to release Maurizio Sarri.

 

Ramadani is also representing Chelsea in talks for Juve defender Rugani and will be involved once the Higuain negotiations begin in earnest.

 

Pjanic’s contract with Juventus is due to expire in June 2021 and he had been linked with Barcelona or Paris Saint-Germain, but Chelsea would enable him to work with Sarri in a new role.

 

Sportitalia added more spice to the story with reports Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich was spotted in the shopping district of Milan today.

 

However, Sportitalia also insist it was merely a friendly dinner between Ramadani and Pjanic, not to discuss transfer strategy.

[Socrates 7962]

 

 

 

 


Three clubs want Pjanic

 

 

https://www.football-italia.net/124751/
three-clubs-want-pjanic

 

 

Jul 20, 2018

 

Chelsea, Barcelona and Manchester City all want Miralem Pjanic, but it’d take a bid of over €80m to bring Juventus to to the table, reports say.

 

The Bosnian international is a key part of Massimiliano Allegri’s side, and has so far given no indication that he wants to be sold.

 

Indeed, this morning’s Gazzetta dello Sport reports that the midfielder is excited to play with Cristiano Ronaldo, and has been offered a new €6m per season deal in Turin.

 

That doesn’t completely rule out a sale though, with interest from Chelsea, Manchester City and Barcelona.

 

Juve don’t want to sell, but would at least listen to offers above €80m.

 

If Pjanic were to leave, the Bianconeri would look at Adrien Rabiot of Paris Saint-Germain, whose contract expires in the summer of 2019.