Loïs Openda spoke openly about his time at Juventus and the reasons why he failed to make the impact that was expected of him. In an interview with the French daily L'Équipe, the Belgian striker revealed how he ended up in Turin, what he was promised and why he eventually realized he had to leave the club. Openda talked in turn about Igor Tudor, Damien Comolli and his partnership with Jonathan David, as well as the problems he had playing up front alongside Dušan Vlahović.
TUDOR WANTED HIM AT JUVENTUS
Openda first clarified the circumstances under which he joined the Bianconeri. According to him, it was then-coach Igor Tudor who wanted to bring him in.
"Igor Tudor wanted me at Juventus. Then I spoke with Damien Comolli, who was the club's director at the time, and he explained to me how they intended to use me in a very demanding league," said Openda.
The Belgian therefore arrived in Turin with clear expectations and the belief that Juventus would know how to make use of his greatest qualities: speed, movement and attacking the space behind the opposition defense.
"JUVENTUS WEREN'T USED TO A STRIKER LIKE ME"
On the pitch, however, things did not go according to his expectations. Openda believes the team was not used to a striker profile that constantly looks for depth and space behind the opponent's last line.
"I had good chemistry with Jonathan David, but the team wasn't used to playing with a striker who attacks the space behind the defense," Openda explained.
His style of play required quicker decisions, well-timed balls into space and different movement from the rest of the team. According to him, that is where the biggest tactical problem arose.
OPENDA ON VLAHOVIĆ: "HE OFTEN KEPT THE BALL TO HIMSELF"
Openda devoted a special part of the interview to his partnership with Dušan Vlahović. Without mincing words, he explained why the two of them failed to build a better understanding in Juventus's attack.
"Vlahović often kept the ball to himself," said Openda.
The Belgian thus made it clear that their attacking characteristics were not always compatible. While Openda expected timely passes into space, Vlahović more often chose to hold on to the ball and finish the move himself.
"I TRIED TO GET MY CHANCE"
Despite the problems, Openda insists he did not give up and that he tried to fight for a place in the team.
"I tried to get my chance, and sometimes I got it," the striker said.
However, as the season drew to a close, it became clear to him that he would not get the continuity he needed.
"Toward the end of the season, I realized I had to leave if I wanted to play," Openda admitted.
"JOINING JUVENTUS WAS NOT A MISTAKE"
Despite everything that happened, Openda does not believe he made a mistake by accepting Juventus's offer. He sees his time in Turin as an important experience that helped him improve parts of his game he had not thought enough about before.
"Joining Juventus was not a mistake. It allowed me to work on aspects of the game that I hadn't taken into account before," the Belgian said.
Openda also stressed that he was aware of the competition and the challenges awaiting him at one of Italy's biggest clubs.
"I knew exactly what I was getting into. I'm sure that in different circumstances everything would have gone much better."
His account shows that the problem was not only about playing time. Openda believes Juventus failed to adapt their game to his qualities, while he, in an attack full of competition, did not manage to earn the role he had expected. Still, he left Turin without regrets, convinced that his story in the black-and-white shirt would have looked completely different had the team better understood the way he plays.
Source: L'Équipe, via Football Italia
