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Dejan Savicevic believes that Massimiliano Allegri is the right choice for AC Milan, while he also urged them to try for Dusan Vlahovic.
Savicevic began his career with hometown side Budućnost in Yugoslavia and then made the switch to Red Star Belgrade in 1988. He became big part of the team that won the 1990–91 European Cup and came second in the Ballon d’Or that year.
What followed was a big-money move to the then-champions of Italy Milan in 1992. With the Rossoneri, won three Serie A titles and the 1993–94 Champions League, among other major honours, in the Silvio Berlusconi era.
He want back to Red Star for half a season in 1999 towards the end of his career, which ended with Austrian club Rapid Wien in 2001. During the summer of 2001, he became the president of the Montenegrin FA.
Savicevic speaks
Savicevic gave an interview to La Gazzetta dello Sport in which he shared some of his thoughts on his former club Milan heading into next season.
You had a good time in Italy…
“Yes. I won a European Cup in 1991 with Red Star Belgrade and another with AC Milan three years later. Then I won other things too.”
But not the Ballon d’Or. They gave it to Jean-Pierre Papin…
“Yes. After Red Star vs. Marseille in Bari, we won on penalties, at the end of a wonderful European season, with lots of goals and many entertaining matches. There are several candidates for the award among us, including myself. But a Frenchman won. Strange…”
Many years later, it would be won by someone from the former Yugoslavia, the Croatian Modric. The first in the Slavic language…
“Luka was a phenomenal player. He deserved it for everything he did for his national team and Real Madrid.”
Now he’s at Milan, like you and Boban. Was it the right choice? Did he do the right thing?
“He’s forty years old. He’s back in the game, doing what he feels like. We’ll see in the league.”
Dusan Vlahovic could also join Milan. What do you think?
“This year, between Federation commitments and UEFA and FIFA conferences, I haven’t seen much Italian football. But I like Vlahovic, I know him: he’s young, 25, strong, has a keen eye for goal, and has significant room for improvement. He did some very good things with Fiorentina and also, I think, with Allegri at Juve.”
Dusan would rejoin Allegri at Milan. Perhaps it could be the turning point, his reboot. Or not?
“Who knows. But will he go? Will Juve sell him? I hope Milan signs him, for him and for Allegri. I like Max, and not just because he’s back coaching Milan. I made my Serie A debut against him, in Pescara in 1992. We won 5-4. And Allegri scored his first goal against us.
“At the start, a crazy match, I remember it very well, Franco Baresi scored two own goals in the space of four minutes. Incredible. Then Marco Van Basten, less incredible and predictable, scored three goals, in his own style.”
Van Basten scored a lot, Allegri won a lot of titles. What do you think of coach Max?
“What am I supposed to think? The results speak for themselves. In his first year he won with Milan, and at Juve he dominated. He’s a great coach, he knows football, he knows his players, he knows how to manage situations. I think he’ll do well in the next Milan too, which is still under construction. Let’s see.”
Once upon a time at Milan there were the Bobans and the Savicevics…
“Yes, once upon a time. Different times, different paces of play. Zvone and I played together for six seasons. And we won something: league titles, the European Cup in Athens against Barcelona. But other players from the former Yugoslavia also did well in Serie A, where perhaps the most beautiful football in the world was played back then.”
Darko Pancev, formerly of Inter, said: ‘Savicevic gave me eight assists and I scored three goals’. Was that true?
“Yes, yes, Darko was a good center forward. But at Red Star there were also Jugovic and Mihajlovic, greats at Juventus and Roma. Jugovic, very good, won two European Cups like me. I at Milan, he at Juventus. Sinisa was a magical, wonderful player.
“No one scored free kicks like him, he had a special technique. Mihajlovic was a good coach, a master. A man of great courage, even in football: he launched goalkeeper Donnarumma in the league at 16. Poor Sinisa, they took him away from us too soon.
“But in Italy, in Verona, Dragan Stojkovic, my old and dear friend Pixie, also played. I would have liked to see Prosinecki against the Italian defenses. He would certainly have won over the fans with his flair and his shots.”
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