Juventus winger Edon Zhegrova has struggled in his first season but has gained the support of the fanbase. He previously made a name for himself at LOSC Lille before joining Juventus for €15 million.
Ultras show appreciation for Juventus attacker despite poor campaign
Juventus winger Edon Zhegrova hasn’t been able to prove his worth in his first season in Turin, but at least he formed a solid bond with the fanbase.
The 27-year-old earned himself quite a reputation during his memorable three-year spell LOSC Lille, emerging as one of the most exciting players in Ligue 1.
Last summer, Juventus CEO Damien Comolli was delighted to secure the Kosovar’s services on a cut price, striking a €15 million deal with the French club.
However, Zhegrova was coming off a serious injury, and he has been struggling to regain his best form this term.
On Sunday, Juventus hosted Hellas Verona at the Allianz Stadium in Turin, and as usual, Zhegrova started the contest on the bench.
Luciano Spalletti decided to bring him in the final 10 minutes of normal time when Francisco Conceicao started to flag.
Despite his limited time on the pitch, the Kosovo international made a positive impact. He managed to beat his marker on a couple of occasions thanks to his neat dribbling, delivered sublime crosses to the box, and almost produced the winner with a low drive to the near post, but Lorenzo Montipo’s fingertip save directed it to the post, thus preserving a point for the visitors.
Juventus fans appreciate Edon Zhegrova for forming a solid bond with them, even though he has not been able to prove his worth on the field.
Juventus secured Edon Zhegrova's services for €15 million from LOSC Lille.
Before joining Juventus, Edon Zhegrova earned a reputation as one of the most exciting players in Ligue 1 during his three-year spell at LOSC Lille.
Mumbai Indians secure a thrilling win over LSG with a strong chase led by Rohit Sharma and Ryan Rickelton.
See every story in Sports — including breaking news and analysis.
According to JuventusNews24, Zhegrova’s impressive cameo didn’t go unnoticed, certainly not in the Curva Sud, where the winger is a popular figure.
As the source explains, the Juventus ultras showed their appreciation for the former Lille player, who returned the favour after the contest.
The report reveals that Zhegrova was the only Juventus player to head to the Curva Sud to give away his shirt to one of the supporters.
But despite the fanbase’s backing, the winger’s future in Turin remains far from guaranteed, as the numbers depict a woeful first season in Italian football.
Zhegrova only made one start across all competitions, coming in the Champions League against Pafos.
So technically, the attacker has yet to make his full Serie A debut, as all of his 16 league appearances came off the bench. Moreover, he has yet to make a direct goal contribution (zero goals, zero assists).