A superb ball slipped into the gap between the fullback and central defender, he needed just the briefest of touches before rolling a low shot beyond Genk goalkeeper Gaetan Coucke. Polite applause rang around the Estadio Municipal in Benidorm as the Schalke players congratulated their newest team-mate for opening the scoring, but the truth is this friendly strike would’ve celebrated much more elsewhere.
It was Marko Pjaca who found the back of the net, having only joined the German club on loans from Juventus three days earlier. Schalke will be pleased by his arrival, the 22-year-old offering depth out wide as Domenico Tedesco’s men look to continue their fine start to the season. They may well sit eleven points behind Bayern Munich, but after finishing sixth, fifth and tenth in the last three Bundesliga campaigns, to be the best of the rest is no mean feat for this squad.
Their use of variations on the coach’s favoured 3-4-3 formation means that Pjaca will slot in seamlessly after spending two years growing accustomed to Max Allegri’s constant changes in system. "We're happy that Marko's decided to join us," Tedesco told a press conference as the signing was confirmed. "A lot of clubs were interested in him. He'll strengthen the quality in our team. He can play in a number of positions: on the right or the left, as well as in attacking midfield or up front. He's robust and is quick."
Yet if the capture of the hugely gifted Croatian was a smart move for the Gelsenkirchen-based side and indeed the player himself, it could also work out very well for Juventus. It was they who invested heavily to bring Pjaca to Turin back in the summer of 2016, handing Dinamo Zagreb a €23 million fee in order to see off competition from Liverpool, Borussia Dortmund and AC Milan.
It was no surprise that some of the continent’s biggest clubs were pursuing the Zagreb native, particularly after his impressive Euro 2016 display against Spain. Croatia would win 2-1 against La Furia Roja with Pjaca running them ragged at Bordeaux's Stade Matmut Atlantique. He took one shot, created one clear scoring opportunity and won one tackle according to WhoScored.com, but it was his dribbling that caught the eye as he completed an impressive seven of his eight attempted take-ons.
Playing nominally on the left wing, he left a string of defenders chasing shadows as he cut inside, but was also comfortable and confident enough to stay wide and beat his would-be marker on his weaker left foot. In the following match he was brought on on the right, showcasing his versatility, which was a trait he discussed shortly before agreeing the move to Juventus. “I mostly play behind strikers, as offensive midfielder, or winger,” he told Calciomercato.com. “I’ve also played as striker but it is not a decision that I have to take. I play wherever the boss tells me to and I always want to do the best to help my team.”
Sadly, a string of injuries left him unable to continue that impressive form for the Bianconeri. A cracked fibula while on international duty with Croatia in October 2016 was followed by a torn anterior cruciate ligament in March of this year, meaning Pjaca has so far managed just 20 appearances in a Juve shirt. All but three of those came as a substitute, yet he did enough in those brief displays to show that he belongs at such a prestigious club, that the Old Lady was right to invest so heavily in him eighteen months ago.
His dribbling, pace and eye for goal remain undimmed, a fact underlined by his two goals and three assists in four matches for Juve’s U-19 youth team as he worked his way back to full fitness recently, as well as that debut strike for Schalke.
Furthermore, the Turin giants have since paid high fees for Federico Bernardeschi and Douglas Costa, transfers which hint at a desire to play a more attacking brand of football, something deemed essential if the club is to finally enjoy tangible success in Europe. It is no secret that Juve have leant on their stout defence in recent years, only to be found wanting at the other end of the field in the two Champions League finals they have contested.
Slowly – much too slowly for many fans of I Bianconeri – Allegri has begun to move away from the 4-2-3-1 formation that relied upon the defensive prowess of Mario Mandzukic and Juan Cuadrado. That pair were fielded as wingers but essentially played as auxiliary full-backs, but now the Tuscan boss is deploying some combination of Costa, Bernardeschi and Paulo Dybala in support of striker Gonzalo Higuain.
Pjaca would certainly have a role to play in a more adventurous style of play, with his representative making clear he wants to do so upon his return from Schalke. “He’s mentally stronger than before because he’s trained with great players and a really well-prepared Coach like Allegri,” Marko Naletilic told reporters this weekend. “His idea is to return to Juventus as a protagonist because if he’s physically ok he won’t accept another season like this one.”
“Now it’s up to him to demonstrate what everyone thinks he can do,” continued the agent and that is indeed the situation over the next five months. Juventus are moving towards an approach that suits him, he’s fit and playing at a club who will provide a platform to show he remains a force to be reckoned with.
It’s time for Marko Pjaca to deliver.
