Allegri clarifies Dybala’s best position on the field

CAIRO – 5 January 2018: Juventus’ coach Massimiliano Allegri said on Friday that the Argentinean Paulo Dybala "cannot play as the only striker on a great team" and that he is performing better when he acts "further back" on the field.

"Dybala is a footballer who cannot play as the only striker in a great team, he could do it when he played in Palermo, because they played 50 meters from the goal," said Allegri at the press conference prior to Saturday's league match against Cagliari.

"In Juventus, who plays 20 meters from the rival goal, Paulo cannot play center forward," he added.

The Italian coach explained that the ‘Jewel’, Dybala’s nickname, gives his best performance when he plays further away from the rival area and believes that he could even act as a midfielder.

"His best performances and goals came when he came from behind, and in the second goal he scored in Verona (last Saturday) he came from the position of a midfielder, he could even be a midfielder in an offensive midfield," he said.

Thus, in the (4-3-3) formation drawn by Allegri in recent games, Dybala could start in a position where he could move between the central and the forward areas of the field, leaving his compatriot Gonzalo Higuain as the only striker.