Juventus Faces Vlahovic Injury Setback in Champions League Pursuit

Dusan Vlahovic’s stop-start season has stalled again at the worst possible time for Juventus.

The 26-year-old striker, who only returned in mid-March after a layoff that began in December, suffered a new injury problem during Monday’s 2-0 Serie A win over Genoa. The issue emerged not in the heat of a challenge, but during the warm-up before the second half – a quiet moment that turned into another alarm bell for Juve’s medical staff.

“During the warm-up held in the second half of the match against Genoa, Dusan Vlahovic felt an issue in his left calf,” the club said. Juventus confirmed he underwent diagnostic tests on Tuesday morning, with scans revealing what they described as “low-grade damage”.

Italian media report that the forward is expected to be sidelined for at least three weeks. For a team walking a tightrope in the league table, that timeline bites.

Juve sit fifth in Serie A, one point behind Como, who currently occupy the final Champions League spot. Seven games remain. Every fixture now carries the weight of a knockout tie, and they will likely have to navigate a crucial stretch without their leading centre-forward.

Vlahovic’s return in March was supposed to sharpen Juventus’ edge for the run-in. Instead, another calf problem has reopened the questions around how Massimiliano Allegri’s side will find enough goals to haul themselves back into Europe’s elite.