Vincenzo Italiano's statement on Vlahovic: He will be among the substitutes for the Kauno Zalgiris match

Beşiktaş manager Vincenzo Italiano made statements ahead of the first leg of the UEFA Europa League play-off round against Lithuanian side Kauno Zalgiris. Speaking about the situation of the black-and-whites' new striker Dusan Vlahovic, Italiano stated that the Serbian player will be included in the match squad.

The Italian manager emphasized that Vlahovic has not yet reached full match fitness, saying, "Vlahovic will be among the substitutes tomorrow. His conditioning and rhythm are improving. He has been away from the pitch for a long time. I hope he gets some minutes tomorrow, and perhaps even more. His journey with the team will begin tomorrow."

Expressing that Vlahovic's joining the team is important, Italiano said they must be cautious during the player's return process. Italiano stated, "We have added a very valuable player to our squad. We need to be careful. If we are not careful, we could run into trouble. We are curious to see what he will do because he is a very high-quality player."

Transfer activities were also on the agenda at the press conference. Responding to a question about the midfield, Italiano stated that the current players are performing well and that the team balance has been established in that area.

The experienced manager noted that his preference for Orkun, Salih, and Olaitan continues due to this balance, adding that their search for a high-quality midfielder is ongoing. Italiano also mentioned that discussions with the management are continuing for a player under the U23 status.

Beşiktaş aims to gain an advantage in the path to reaching the league phase of the Europa League with the result they will get against Kauno Zalgiris. Whether Vlahovic will get minutes will become clear based on the flow of the match and the player's physical condition.