Defensive Woes and First Defeat
Juventus experienced their first defeat of the 2026-27 Serie A campaign, falling 3-2 to Sassuolo in a dramatic encounter [1]. The match saw Juventus concede a late winning goal, with Vasilije Adzic scoring against his parent club [2]. Coach Luciano Spalletti acknowledged that the team’s desire to turn the game around led to them attacking with eight men, which ultimately compromised their defensive balance [3]. Goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario reportedly expressed frustration with his teammates’ defensive lapses, as Juventus conceded two goals due to such errors [4]. Despite the loss, Edon Zhegrova was a standout performer for Juventus, scoring two goals in the match [5]. Kieron Bowie also scored his first Sassuolo goal in the victory [6]. Juventus executive Giovanni Carnevali has publicly expressed trust in coach Spalletti, stating that changing managers is not in his nature [1].
Extensive Injury List Plagues Squad
Juventus is currently grappling with a significant injury crisis, which heavily impacted their squad selection against Sassuolo. Midfielder Manuel Locatelli is a major casualty, ruled out for four to six months after undergoing meniscus surgery [4]. The list of unavailable players is extensive and includes Jeremie Boga, Khephren Thuram, Weston McKennie, Juan Cabal, Jeff Ekhator, Kenan Yıldız, and Andrea Cambiaso, all sidelined due to various injuries [7]. Arkadiusz Milik is also a doubt due to back pain, and Randal Kolo Muani’s fitness is uncertain [3]. This depleted squad led to Juventus making history by fielding no Italian outfield players in their starting XI against Sassuolo [8]. New signings Nick Woltemade and Randal Kolo Muani have joined the club from Newcastle United and PSG respectively [9], with Woltemade ready to play and Pape Sarr expected to be included in the matchday squad for the first time [10].
Midfield Adjustments and Upcoming Fixture
With numerous key midfielders sidelined, coach Luciano Spalletti has been forced to make significant adjustments to his lineup. Douglas Luiz, who played in the defeat to Sassuolo, is considered a guarantee in midfield and is expected to start [10]. Teun Koopmeiners is also set to get a rare start in midfield, with Spalletti reportedly tempted to play him [11]. Nico Gonzalez is more likely to start in the central attacking midfield role over new signing Nick Woltemade [10]. The team’s next challenge will be at home against Atalanta in Serie A on Sunday, September 20 [1]. The extensive injury list will undoubtedly influence Spalletti’s tactical decisions as Juventus looks to bounce back from their recent defeat and navigate a challenging period.
What it means
Juventus currently sits in 8th position in Serie A with 7 points from four matches, having secured two wins, one draw, and one loss. Their recent form shows a mixed bag of results, with a 3-2 away loss to Sassuolo, a 1-1 home draw against AC Milan, and consecutive wins against Parma and Frosinone. This indicates a slight dip in momentum after a solid start to the season. The upcoming fixture sees Juventus host Atalanta, a match that will test their resilience and depth given the current injury crisis. A positive result at home will be crucial for Juventus to climb the table and regain confidence, especially after their first defeat of the campaign.
Sources
- Football Italia: Carnevali: Juventus must learn from Sassuolo defeat, coach change ‘not in my nature’ football-italia.net ↩
- Football Italia: Adzic: ‘Unforgettable’ winner against Juventus exactly one year on from first goal football-italia.net ↩
- Football Italia: Today’s Papers – Juventus madness, Spalletti do something football-italia.net ↩
- Football Italia: Vicario furious at Juventus teammates after dramatic 3-2 defeat football-italia.net ↩
- Football Italia: Watch: Juventus winger Zhegrova scores first goal since 2024 football-italia.net ↩
- BBC Sport: Celtic face Chambers competition - gossip bbc.co.uk ↩
- Football Italia: Spalletti: ‘Juventus lost balance through desire to win’ in 3-2 at Sassuolo football-italia.net ↩
- Football Italia: Juventus make unfortunate history by failing to start a single Italian outfield player football-italia.net ↩
- Football Italia: Zenga: ‘Juventus don’t have striker worth 15 goals per season’ football-italia.net ↩
- Football Italia: Serie A: Sassuolo vs. Juventus: Probable line-ups and where to watch on TV football-italia.net ↩
- Football Italia: Carnevali: ‘Juventus built competitive squad, pleasing to see Sassuolo’ football-italia.net ↩