Debut, Juve, and Alaba

ÖFB Gem: “This is really something special!”

David Puczka made his Serie A debut.(Bild: FC Genua)

At just 21 years old, David Puczka has made his mark in the world of top-tier soccer. In an interview with “sportkrone.at,” the Genoa player and U21 standout talks about his new club, his departure from Juventus, his excitement about David Alaba, and his goals for the Austrian national team…

Things are really going well for David Puczka right now! Two weeks ago, the Austrian provided the assist for the game-winning goal in FC Genoa’s 1-0 victory over FC Südtirol in the Round of 32 of the Coppa Italia. Just five days later, he made his Serie A debut, playing about 30 minutes in the 1-2 loss to Parma. “That’s something really special. A lot of people congratulated me—it’s an awesome feeling!” Puczka has made it to one of the top five leagues, but he’s not about to stop there.

The left-footed player began his career at Favoritner AC. After stints with Wiener Austria and Admira, he made a sensational move in 2024 to Juventus Turin, one of the biggest clubs in world soccer. “We played against Italy with the U19 team, and there were a lot of scouts at the game. I played well, and then the transfer happened,” he recalls.

Genoa Instead of Turin
And Puczka made a big splash with the Italian top club’s second team: Last year, he was voted Player of the Season in Serie C for the “Old Lady.” As a reward, a spot on the first team under star coach Luciano Spalletti now awaited him. “The plan was for me to join them for preseason training,” Puczka explains.

But that didn’t happen! The left back, who had been linked to several clubs (Red Bull Salzburg, Hertha BSC, etc.) over the summer, decided—in part because of the greater opportunities—to make the move to the historic Italian club Genoa. The transfer fee was a hefty six million euros. “Life by the sea here is very relaxed,” he says, enjoying his time off the soccer field in Genoa.

,a Star CoachIn the northwestern port city, Puczka has a World Cup champion as his coach: Daniele De Rossi, who won the World Cup with the “Squadra Azzurra” in 2006, is in charge in Genoa, where two other Austrians—Franz Stolz and Elias Havel—are also under contract. De Rossi was once known for his uncompromising, passionate, and even tough style of play. Is he also a “tough cookie” as a coach? “Actually, not at all. In practice, he’s totally relaxed and talks a lot with the players,” Puczka says enthusiastically.

Genoa Coach Daniele De Rossi(Bild: EPA/Stringer)

Puczka’s strengths lie not only in defense but also in midfield—which increases his value. “De Rossi sees me as a left center back in our back three in Genoa,” says Puczka. “I feel more comfortable on the left wing, but as long as I’m playing, I don’t care where!”

Looking Forward to a Showdown with Alaba
An exciting matchup is coming up in Serie A this December: Puczka and FC Genoa will host Udinese Calcio, David Alaba’s new club. “It’s a new challenge for him; he’ll fit in well there,” says Puczka, welcoming his compatriot’s move to Italy. “I’m looking forward to the game!” Given his position, there are certainly some parallels to the Austrian national team star.

Top Scorer in the European Championship Qualifiers
Puczka is highly regarded not only at the club level but also on the national team. No wonder—after all, the youngster is Austria’s top scorer for the U21s in the European Championship qualifiers. He was directly involved in five of seven goals (2 goals, 3 assists). “It was just three corner kicks and two penalty kicks,” he says modestly, but also emphasizes: “Set pieces are a specialty of mine—one of my weapons.”

Everything is still in their own hands
The team is on a roll, and the mood in the U21 squad—which is currently preparing for the final qualifying phase in Frauenkirchen (Burgenland)—is fantastic, Puczka assures us: “We’re a great unit. It’s always fun to be here!” On Friday, they’ll face Denmark at the Sport-Club-Stadion in Vienna. They’ll wrap things up on Tuesday with an away match against Wales. Austria currently sits in third place behind Belgium and Denmark.

Peter Perchtold(Bild: GEPA)

The group winners and the best second-place team will qualify directly for next year’s European Championship, which will take place in Serbia and Albania. The remaining eight second-place teams will compete in playoffs in November to determine the final four participants in the tournament. Head coach Peter Perchtold’s squad still has its fate entirely in its own hands. Puczka has no doubts: “I’m very confident that we’ll make it to the European Championship—especially with the team we have right now. The quality is really good, and we’re brimming with confidence!”