The father of Juventus midfielder Miralem Pjanic has been speaking to La Gazzetta dello Sport. Fahrudin, who is former player himself, began by stating that; “I have been lucky enough to take Miralem from the atrocities of war to our second homeland in Luxembourg, who have welcomed us with open arms”.

After a troubled start to life in Turin, he was asked if he ever doubted his son’s ability; “I don’t know what all the fuss was about. I’ve always been happy with the work he’s done at Juve. He listens to the coach and he sacrifices himself for the team. When you behave like this the results will arrive, the fans have no need to worry”.  

Moving on to the differences between Turin and Rome, he explained that; “They are both beautiful cities but very different. Miralem is aware that this is a major step forward in his career because Juve are an incredible club. They have the desire for success and I believe this is the ideal environment for him. I’m not saying Rome is not a city that likes success, but I’m not sure how it functions”.
 

When asked what he thought was his son’s best role in the team he replied; “That’s a question for Allegri as he is the one who decides. I believe he can play anywhere but prefer him to play in a more advanced role where he can affect the game more”. Finally, on his speciality, the free-kick, Fahrudin once more; “He is one of the best but he learnt from a great teacher, Juninho of Lyon. I remember the noise when he was little coming from the garage and I knew he had a special talent even when he was 11-years-old”.

Steve Mitchell @barafundler