Juventus' injury situation not improving as key stretch approaches
Today at 09:15 PM
It's been a rough couple months when it comes to injuries and depth being tested.
Unfortunate as they are, injuries are a natural part of the game of football. Whether they are season-enders, a few matches on the bench, or something like 2011-12 Andrea Pirlo playing with only his left foot due to a knee injury, a player's respective health issues will always be a factor.
For Juventus, the 2024-25 season has gotten off to an extremely difficult start when it comes to injuries on the roster available to first-year manager Thiago Motta. From losing arguably the best defender in Serie A, Gleison Bremer, to an ACL injury during the early minutes of the win over RB Leipzig, to Juan Cabal's international duty injury that will see him sidelined for the rest of the season, it's a list that only seems to be getting more crowded.
As Juventus get set to face Milan at the San Siro this weekend, it's hard not to look at the status of those currently part of Juve's injury crisis.
Gleison Bremer — torn ACL with a return date TBD
The Champions League match against RB Leipzig was a showcase of the best and worst of competitive calcio. While Juventus' comeback will be talked about for years, it was not without long-term implications, as Bremer was subbed off early on, and it was later confirmed over the next few days that he suffered an ACL injury, dealing a serious blow to the Bianconeri's stellar defense.
This was arguably Juventus' worst loss of the season, as Bremer had been a crucial member of the squad ever since he came over from city rival Torino in 2022. In early October, the Brazilian underwent knee surgery in Lyon, and ever the indomitable spirit, recently posted a photo of himself in the gym doing an upper body workout as he sported a big brace on his left knee.
Juan Cabal – torn ACL, return date TBD
The increase in matches that players have seen in the past few years has come with a level of controversy, with the most prominent complaint being the increase in injuries. Unfortunately, Cabal became another example of this issue. During international duty with Colombia, Cabal was forced to withdraw from the squad, returning early from Turin.
Juventus confirmed last week that Cabal suffered a torn ACL in training and that he is to undergo surgery on his left knee. This injury comes as another big blow to Juventus' defense, as it was already staggered by the loss of Bremer six weeks earlier. The former Hellas Verona man has been quiet on social media since the injury, although his only account that gets much use is Instagram.
Arkadiusz Milik – knee surgery, cleared to resume training
In a small bit of positive news, Milik has reportedly been cleared to return to training in anticipation of Juventus' slew of matches to close out 2024. Milik suffered an injury to his knee during national team duty with Poland in preparation for Euro 2024, which he was poised to play an important role. His absence was felt, as Poland did not make it out of the group stage and posted zero wins against Austria, France, and the Netherlands
However, his return to the Juventus squad is still somewhat unknown. Whenever it does happen, it will be a welcome one, with fellow striker Dusan Vlahovic — who has been logging heavy minutes this season — picking up a minor injury late in Serbia's UEFA Nations League match that could potentially rule him out for Saturday's match against AC Milan. Milik has performed well when needed since joining Juve — most recently in the 2023-24 Coppa Italia, with a hat trick against Frosinone and then the goal in the second leg of the semifinal matchup against Lazio that pushed his team through to the final on aggregate.
Nico Gonzalez – thigh injury, return date TBD
Another injury victim of the RB Leipzig match, the Argentine winger suffered a muscular injury that has seen him sidelined since early October. While his injury was not as detrimental as that of Bremer or Cabal, Gonzalez's absence has now spanned over nine matches in all competitions.
Gonzalez had an incredible summer, taking part in Argentina's victorious campaign at Copa America, as well as well as being one of the many additions to Juventus' heavily reworked roster with Motta's arrival. The unfortunate downside of this injury is that fans have yet to see the true potential of what the 26-year-old winger brings to the table.
Dusan Vlahovic – left thigh pain, return expected soon
Thankfully, this injury turned out to be as serious as many feared, but with the injury crisis that the Bianconeri have been facing, it was understandable that the club and fans alike were extremely worried for the Serbian striker. During Serbia's match against Denmark, Vlahovic was forced off the field in the 88th minute, replaced shortly by 18-year-old Kosta Nedeljkovic of Aston Villa, who Juventus will face off against in their next Champions League fixture.
The light injury came at a bad time, as Juventus are already with limited options up front in the No. 9 position as they continue to wait for Milik to make his season debut.
Other injuries
Douglas Luiz: The Brazilian midfielder was the victim of muscular discomfort during warmups of the Champions League matchup with Lille. Theories are swirling around that his absence may be to the rigor of Juventus' training schedule and poor early performance, but that is yet to be confirmed.
Vasilije Adzic: The Montenegrin teenager made his Juventus debut against Lazio in October, but suffered a muscular injury during training in the buildup to the Derby della Mole. He is projected to return in early December.
