Zambrotta: 'I would do everything to keep Vlahovic' – Juventus and AC Milan face striking dilemma

Standing in the corridor leading to the dressing room at Allianz Stadium before Juventus against AC Milan, the first thing I felt was not the usual tension of a big match. It was silence. The kind of silence you hear when a team is trying to convince itself that it still has enough firepower, even though the reality on the pitch is saying the opposite. Juventus entered a potential season-defining game with an attack valued at more than €100 million, but goals have not arrived consistently. Gianluca Zambrotta, a former defender who played for both Juventus and AC Milan, has criticised his old club for letting Dusan Vlahovic leave. Zambrotta is one of the few people who can see this match from both sides. He played for Juventus from 2026 to 2026, then moved to AC Milan and stayed until 2026. So when he talks about Juventus lacking a centre-forward who knows how to choose his positions, it is not an outside judgment but the disappointment of someone who once lived inside the dressing rooms of big clubs. His comments to La Gazzetta dello Sport, reported by Goal.com, come at the perfect time as Juventus and AC Milan prepare for a match neither can afford to lose. According to the former Italy international, Juventus made a mistake in letting Vlahovic go and trusting forwards who have not yet shown consistent goalscoring ability. Kolo Muani and Woltemade, the two signings expected to replace Vlahovic, have scored only five goals in total in 2026. Meanwhile, Kenan Yildiz is sidelined through injury, and Arkadiusz Milik is not providing certainty. Zambrotta stressed that if Vlahovic had not demanded to leave on a free transfer, he would have done everything to keep the Serbian striker. The problem for Juventus is not necessarily a lack of forwards. In terms of numbers, they still have Kolo Muani, Woltemade and Milik. The Turin club has no shortage of attacking options, but no one seems to act as a true centre-forward. In modern football, many teams succeed with false nines or wingers cutting inside, but Juventus need someone who can finish crosses and provide a target in the box. Zambrotta always saw Vlahovic as a 'true number nine', a player capable of imposing his presence in the penalty area. From my perspective, this is not a story about tactical formations. 3-4-2-1, 4-3-3 or 4-2-3-1 are just numbers on paper. The issue lies in the relationship between the passer and the receiver in the final third. When a team replaces a 'number nine' who stays in the centre of the box with forwards who like to move wide, crosses from the flanks lose their familiar target. The result is more possession and prettier combinations, but goals remain scarce. Data may say they are playing better, but football is not decided by data. Goals are decided by moments in the box. Modern football runs on data, but the heartbeat is still in the dressing room. I have seen many teams fall into that state. In the dressing room, attacking players will tell each other they have more space, that the new tactics make them more flexible. But when they step onto the pitch, without a clear reference point, those words quickly become meaningless. Zambrotta is probably seeing the same thing at Juventus. A team can have many forwards, but if no one truly occupies the penalty area, every attacking plan becomes fragile. The dressing room does not lie — it only whispers to the right person at the right time. Looking at how Juventus have operated in recent matches, I believe the players clearly feel the absence of a centre-forward who knows where to be. Kolo Muani can create space with pace, Woltemade can help with pressing, but when the ball is lifted into the box, no one is there in time to head it or receive it before the defender. That is what Vlahovic used to provide, even if he was not always perfect in his finishing. Milan, Juventus' opponent, also has its own story. Zambrotta believes the Rossoneri are in better form at the moment, but their attacking department is alarmingly thin. Milan only have two pure strikers in Goncalo Ramos and Francesco Camarda. If either is injured or suspended during a congested schedule, the coach will have few options. Zambrotta was blunt: they should have bought one more striker, because numerically it was necessary to compete in three competitions. That leads to an interesting paradox. Juventus have more forwards but lack a reliable scorer. Milan have fewer options but are rated higher for current form. Is the problem quantity or quality? In truth, both clubs are paying for their transfer decisions. Public opinion tends to blame Kolo Muani and Woltemade for not scoring. But looking from the dressing room, I see them as pieces placed in the wrong puzzle. They are good forwards, but not the profile Juventus really need. The old system revolved around a centre-forward who dominated the box; now the final passes have to find a different receiver. Zambrotta suggests Juventus should reconsider their decision, even though time cannot be reversed. Juventus spent a large amount of money to bring in Kolo Muani and Woltemade. Their combined valuation exceeds €100 million, and that makes Zambrotta question the efficiency of the investment. If such an expensive attack has only produced five goals in early 2026, pressure will mount on both the players and the coaching staff. With Vlahovic, the problem is many things: finishing ability, presence in the dressing room, and the faith team-mates had in him. A leading striker can change how his team-mates view a match. When he leaves, Juventus lose a point of reference, tactically and psychologically. Every contract is a farewell framed by a signature. Juventus signed the deal that sent Vlahovic away, and they also signed the deals that brought Kolo Muani and Woltemade. But perhaps they were not ready to face the rest of the farewell: saying goodbye to the style of attack built around one 'number nine'. Now they have to build again from scratch, and that cannot be done overnight. Meanwhile, Juventus also have to deal with Kenan Yildiz being in the treatment room. Yildiz is someone who can create a decisive moment with a dribble or a creative pass. His absence removes a layer of inventiveness between the lines from Juventus' attack. This only highlights the question: who will score for Juventus when the game is stuck? Without an answer, the debate over keeping or selling Vlahovic will only be the beginning. For Milan, Camarda's inexperience is also a risk. He is regarded as one of Italy's great young talents, but placing expectations on a young player during a three-competition campaign is unfair. Zambrotta is not against giving young players opportunities, but he wants to see a squad deep enough to protect them. When a big club has only two pure strikers, any mistake or injury becomes an emergency. In the upcoming match, both teams know that a victory will provide a massive surge in motivation and momentum. Zambrotta believes big matches are ultimately decided by mentality rather than raw form. If Juventus produce a sharp attacking display and score goals, the story about selling Vlahovic may temporarily fade. If they struggle again, the pressure will only grow. Based on my experience following matches, I believe the Juventus–AC Milan meeting is not just a clash between two top Serie A sides. It is a test of transfer decisions, of boardroom patience, and of the forwards' ability to overcome crisis. The dressing room will say something after the final whistle. The question is who will listen to the right message.