Juventus forward Nick Woltemade scored his first goal for the club in Thursday’s 2-1 Europa League win at Celta Vigo, prompting former striker Aldo Serena to defend the German’s role in Luciano Spalletti’s tactical setup. Serena told Tuttosport via TuttoMercatoWeb that while Woltemade is “not very quick,” he fits Spalletti’s style of linking play effectively.
Woltemade missed a close-range chance in the first half before equalising early in the second. Randal Kolo Muani then secured the win with a stoppage-time header. Serena praised Woltemade’s technique and combination play but said the striker still needs to improve his decision-making on when to hold the ball and when to play it quickly.
“If you play centre-forward, you have to hold the ball up, protect it and maybe win a few fouls too,” Serena said. “I’m still convinced he can play up front.” He added that Woltemade’s understanding of timing when to control the ball and when to release it to arriving midfielders will be key to his development.
Serena also criticised Teun Koopmeiners for failing to support Woltemade in attack during the first half, pointing to a missed chance where Koopmeiners was slow to react to a cut-back from Pierre Kalulu. “Koopmeiners never made runs to support him, so he didn’t help Woltemade at all,” Serena said.
The former Juventus, Inter and Milan striker suggested that Nico González, who came off the bench against Celta Vigo and nearly scored, could complement Woltemade well in attack. “I think someone like Nico González could do very well with him. Spalletti himself pointed out that he’s the best header of the ball in the squad.”
Tuttosport also reports that Spalletti is considering starting Woltemade and Kolo Muani together in Sunday’s Serie A match against Lazio in Turin, rather than using them as substitutes. This would mark a shift in the manager’s approach, giving Woltemade a more prominent role after his Europa League goal.
Woltemade’s performance and Serena’s backing highlight the ongoing experimentation in Spalletti’s attacking options as Juventus seek stronger offensive combinations. The manager’s willingness to pair Woltemade with Kolo Muani suggests confidence in the striker’s potential contribution despite earlier criticism of his pace and decision-making.
According to Yahoo Sports.
