Juventus Faces Injury Crisis Ahead of Sassuolo Clash
Teun Koopmeiners is poised to walk straight back into the Juventus midfield on Sunday night, as Luciano Spalletti wrestles with an early-season injury pile-up ahead of a tricky Serie A trip to Sassuolo.
Juventus put their unbeaten start to the 2026-27 campaign on the line at the Mapei Stadium, with kick-off set for 19.45 BST, and they do so without several pillars of Spalletti’s planned core.
Spalletti juggling injuries and expectations
Two wins from two against Frosinone and Parma gave the Bianconeri a clean launch to the season, only for Milan to slow their momentum with a 1-1 draw at the Allianz Stadium last weekend. Sassuolo, meanwhile, sit mid-table in 10th, their three games returning one win, one draw and one defeat.
On paper, Juventus arrive as favourites. On the pitch, Spalletti has problems.
Captain Manuel Locatelli is out for the next few months. Khephren Thuram faces a similar spell on the sidelines. Weston McKennie is not ready either. That injury list rips out the heart of the manager’s first-choice midfield and forces a reshuffle that would have seemed unlikely just a few weeks ago.
Koopmeiners and Douglas Luiz, both previously viewed as expendable options in a crowded department, suddenly find themselves central to the plan. They are expected to start together at the base of a 4-2-3-1, tasked with giving Juventus control in a game that could easily become chaotic if Sassuolo’s front line finds space.
Tottenham loanee Pape Matar Sarr is set for his first appearance in a Juventus matchday squad since completing his summer move to Turin, offering Spalletti at least one fresh option from the bench.
New faces, new roles
The absences do not stop in midfield. There is no Kenan Yildiz, and that pushes summer signing Kerim Alajbegovic back into the spotlight. He deputised against Milan and is likely to be handed the same responsibility again, operating behind the striker in a system that leans heavily on movement between the lines.
Reports from Sky Sport Italia indicate that Nico Gonzalez is in pole position to start as the central attacking midfielder, edging out Nick Woltemade for that role. Woltemade, who featured against Milan, may have to settle for a place among the substitutes.
At the back and out wide, Spalletti is also short. Andrea Cambiaso, Jeremie Boga, Jeff Ekhator and Juan Cabal are not expected to feature, trimming his options for rotation and tactical tweaks.
Probable line-ups
Sassuolo are expected to stick with a 4-3-3, looking to hit Juventus with width and quick transitions:
Sassuolo (4-3-3): Muric; Cinquegrano, Leysen, Idzes, Doig; Adzic, Matic, Bakola; Berardi, Esposito, Lauriente.
Juventus should mirror their recent structure, built around a double pivot and an attacking trio behind the centre-forward:
Juventus (4-2-3-1): Vicario; Kalulu, Bremer, Lucumi, Celik; Douglas Luiz, Koopmeiners; Conceicao, N. Gonzalez, Alajbegovic; Kolo Muani.
Koopmeiners’ return alongside Douglas Luiz gives Juventus a technically gifted, press-resistant pairing in front of the defence. The question is whether that blend brings enough bite without Locatelli and Thuram, especially against a Sassuolo side that can swarm in midfield when given encouragement.
Where to watch
In the UK, the match will be shown live on TNT Sports 1, HBO Max and DAZN. Viewers in the USA can watch via Paramount+.
Spalletti’s Juventus have started the season unbeaten, but with key leaders missing and previously marginal players now carrying the load, Sunday night at the Mapei will say plenty about how robust this new project really is.
