When someone is chosen by the man who discovered talents in Italy such as Mirko Vučinić, Stevan Jovetić, Javier Ševanton and Valerij Božinov, pushed Fabrici Mikoli to the stars from Serie C, and in 2000 almost paired the then 19-year-old Dimitar Berbatov with the phenomenal Nikšić, then it is clear that it's worth it.
Over the decades, Pantaleo Corvino has built an exceptional reputation on the "boot" and when he insisted on the arrival of Nikola Krstović, Italian football fans had no doubt that the famous operative made the right move. And then, precisely in the duel between the two clubs where Corvino left an indelible mark, Krstović proved in a very short time that he belongs in Serie A - at Leće's visit to Fiorentina, the 23-year-old Montenegrin representative entered the game in the 72nd minute, and already in the 76th he escaped the defenders of "viola" and brought a big point to the team from the south with a header (2:2).
The former striker of Zeta and Crvena zvezda, who became the top scorer of the Slovakian Fortuna League from DAC Dunajska Streda for four million euros, should play for the first time tonight at the "Via del Mare" stadium, where Salernitana will be visiting. Maybe as a starter...
- Less than 100 people live in the city, and over 30.000 people come to every match. The stadium is always full, and the fans also go to away games, so you can't go outside without someone wanting to take a photo with you. I have been here for about 10 days and I am very satisfied with how quickly I adapted. I thought it would take time for me to adapt, but the players have a temperament similar to ours and they accepted me brilliantly. The team is the youngest in Serie A, the third in Europe, but we have many good players. It's a great thing that I scored a goal, it boosted my confidence and let me know that I can do it in this league. Just to keep trying - said Krstović at the beginning of the interview for "Vijesti".
That goal at "Artemio Franki" arrived earlier than the Montenegrin international expected.
- I did only one real training session with the team before the match, I was wondering how I would manage. But as it started, I think everything will be fine. I want to develop a little more and then make something big, and I think I'm on the right track.
An indelible mark in the Pula region was left by Vučinić, who arrived in 2000 as a 16-year-old from Sutjeska, in the 2004/2005 season. scored 19 goals in Serie A, and in 2006 he went to Roma for 19 million euros. Comparisons between Krstović and him are inevitable, and the club wanted to emphasize that connection, giving the new striker to wear the "nine".
- I wanted to wear number 45, I did a lot with it in my career and it means a lot to me, but the club "jumped" and told me that I had to take the number nine, which Mirko wears - Krstović points out.
Although he had several offers, contacts with the sports director of Leće convinced him to come to Italy.
- Corvino had the biggest influence on my arrival, two conversations with him gave me confidence and made me decide to choose Leće. I had other options, but I didn't even think about what to do when I realized that such a man would be standing behind me. I also know that Mirko left a big mark here, that a lot is expected of me, and the desire to justify Korvin's expectations is an additional motivation for me.
And Vučinić's advice could benefit him a lot in Leće, just as they mean to him in the national team, where the 39-year-old from Nikšić is Miodrag Radulović's assistant coach.
- I didn't want to contact him earlier, so that I didn't sign because of him, so that I don't blame anyone if something doesn't go well. He called me when he heard that I was coming to Leće and told me that it would be good to score a goal as soon as possible, because then the team will start playing for me. He congratulated me and told me that I could contact him with anything I needed. I also met with a journalist who worked at "Gazeta delo sport" for 46 years, he, Mirko and I talked together. Honestly, I really like working with Vucinić, I even prefer to be in the national team since he is here. He doesn't talk much, but when he says something, it means a lot to me and I respect everything he told me - Krstović pointed out.
In two years in DAC, which bought him from Zvezda for 400.000 euros, at one time the youngest player in CFL history (16 years and 18 days played against Iskra) had several offers, but he stayed and decided to leave this summer. And Leće could be a stopover on his way to an even bigger transfer.
- We'll see what happens. And last summer I was for sale in DAC, and in the winter I was packing, but I didn't want to leave and leave the club in the lurch. I signed a new contract to secure DAC, and we agreed that this was the right time for me to leave. Maybe Leće was not the best club that was looking for me, but it is the best for my advancement. This is the right environment for young players, to whom the coaches give a chance, and I think this is the right decision - concluded Krstović.
If we are right, we will get Lithuania and Bulgaria
As soon as he finishes the game with Salernitana, Krstović will pack and head for Podgorica, in order to join the national team. Already on Thursday, there is a visit to Lithuania in Kaunas, three days later there is a duel with Bulgaria in Gorica, against which the 23-year-old striker brought victory in Razgrad.
- If we are the right team, and I think we are, we will beat Lithuania, and then Bulgaria, in order to seek passage to the European Championship in the last two games. Normally, we also need a bit of luck. We proved that we can play against everyone. Serbia beat us, and you know what chances we had at 0:0, as well as against Hungary - says Krstović.
"Brave Falcons" drew with the Hungarians in June (0:0), the Leće player is convinced that the team is now in a better condition.
- Now much more can be expected from us, because we all have continuity. When the vacation comes, we are all "head" out of football. I trained every day when the season was over, but it's not the same when you work with the team and separately. The goal is to take three points in Lithuania, have a rest and then beat the Bulgarians at home on Sunday.
A lot of time is devoted to tactics, the pace is very strong
Italian coaches are known to be fanatically devoted to tactics, Lecce's head coach Roberto D'Aversa is no exception.
- I already felt the Italian work, because there were Italians in Zveda, in the professional staff of Dejan Stanković, and I knew how much work was done in the gym and on the run. In Slovakia, a lot of work was done on strength, but here everything is on a different level. We spend at least two hours on the field, I've never been to DAC that long. A lot of time is devoted to tactics, the goal is to have everything perfectly prepared, and only after that the main part is done on the field - emphasizes Krstović.
The difference is also in the pace at which they play in Serie A.
- Here, the game is played with much more intensity, the players run a lot. Everyone is doing well tactically, without running you can't play in Serie A. In Slovakia, I could always stop for a bit, to have the team support me, and here I have to help my teammates and retreat at least to the block, to make it easier for the team as much as I can .
On the fiery "Via del mare" he should make his debut tonight against Salernitana.
- When we play at home, we always expect to win, defeat is out of the question. Lazio led all the way here, but we turned it around. We want to have a good score at home, because everyone here plays well at home and it is difficult to take points away. The primary goal of Leće is survival, but the club expects to be in the middle of the table and to be constant in Serie A for several years, so that in the future maybe something more can be done.
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