Nick Woltemade's search for a Serie A goal continued last night as the 6ft 6in striker drew a blank in Juventus' 1-1 draw with Cagliari.
The on-loan Newcastle star entered the pitch just before the hour mark in Sardinia and caused sufficient chaos to help Juve grab a late equaliser. But he squandered the chance to win it for Luciano Spalletti's side as he tamely headed straight at the keeper before the game petered out and Juve had to settle for a point.
Muani reveals key to Woltemade's best form
Nevertheless, Woltemade won praise from his strike partner Kolo Muani, who cashed in a cross that was aimed at the Germany international as he converted from close range with nine minutes left.
Woltemade had come under fire last week while on international duty with his country when missing a sitter for Jurgen Klopp's side against Serbia in the UEFA Nations League.
But £32.4m striker Muani, who had started the game as the lone striker, has offered the key to getting the best out of Woltemade. It's something that Newcastle failed to manage last season as they moved him around from a number 9 to a 10 and back.
Muani said last night: "The coach said at half-time that we have a lot of the ball and needed to get it into the area with crosses, as there were bodies in the box, so when Woltemade came on there were more occasions and it was much better than the first half, but we can still do better.
"When Nick comes inside, he is big, can hold up the ball and worry the defenders, so it gives me more freedom to move around, get the ball, it is much better for me."
Summer uncertainty and growing pressure
Woltemade is still not exactly like a £69m player yet and doubts continue whether Juventus will push for a permanent deal in the summer. The furious Italian Press have already suggested that will be a bad idea, meaning Newcastle could have an issue on their hands in the summer with the star they loaned out on deadline day.
For now, Spalletti seems content enough but the pressure is growing on Juve who sit in sixth place, a position that's not going to be good enough for the fans in Turin. The Serie A boss said: "If we play like this, I’m convinced we’ll win plenty of games, though it’s true that we need to improve our finishing. I’m a bit annoyed because these are the sort of matches we need to win. The team has real potential."
Europa League clash ahead
Next up for Woltemade is a clash with Celta Vigo in the Europa League, a game he is in line to start as he looks for a much-needed goal from open play. He netted from the spot in the 5-0 win over Dutch side NEC last month but the spotlight remains firmly on the Germany man.
