Juventus face injury crisis ahead of Sassuolo clash, unveil revised lineup and tactics

Juventus will go into Thursday’s Serie A meeting with Sassuolo missing a host of first‑team regulars, forcing head coach Luciano Spalletti to reshuffle his starting XI and tweak his tactical set‑up. The Bianconeri have been forced to leave out Yildiz, Thuram, Locatelli, McKennedy, Boga, Cambiaso, Ekhator and Cabal, creating an "absolute emergency" in midfield, prompting the coach to promote Dutch midfielder Ryan Koopmeiners to the central three‑quarter line. "Koopmeiners gives us the balance we need and the flexibility to shift between a 4‑2‑3‑1 and a more compact 4‑4‑2 when required," Spalletti explained during the pre‑match press conference.

In a rare boost, Senegalese winger Pape Sarr has returned to training after a lingering muscle issue from his time at Tottenham. While not yet fit to start, Spalletti confirmed Sarr will occupy a spot on the bench, providing an extra attacking outlet if the game demands it.

The revised formation is expected to the line‑up that faced Milan six days ago, with a possible 10‑player configuration that includes Koopmeiners on the right side of the three‑quarter line, replacing the injured Locatelli. "We will keep the core of the team that delivered the solid defensive performance against Milan," the coach added.

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Despite the setbacks, Juventus remain one of Serie A’s stingiest defences, having conceded only ten goals since the start of March – the fewest among established clubs. The side also boasts the joint‑fewest defeats in the same period, matching Inter’s record, and sits level on points with Como at 30, trailing only Roma’s 32.

Complicating matters, Juventus will also have to manage a mid‑week Europa League tie against Nec on Thursday night at the Allianz Stadium, marking the first in‑season clash between the two competitions. Spalletti warned that squad rotation will be crucial: "We have to balance the demands of Serie A and Europe without compromising the quality on the pitch."

The Sassuolo‑Juventus encounter will be streamed online, with live text commentary available on.it. Fans can expect a tightly contested match as Juventus attempt to navigate their injury woes while maintaining their defensive solidity.