Juventus will take the field against Atalanta on Sunday evening with more than three league points at stake. The Allianz Stadium, hosting the 18:00 kick-off, will also welcome John Elkann and his family, with the Exor chief expected in the stands for a meeting that has acquired added weight after a difficult opening spell.
September does not decide a championship, but Juventus know that another league setback would make the international break feel longer and sharpen the pressure around both the table and the club. Thursday’s 5-0 Europa League win over NEC restored some confidence to Luciano Spalletti’s group; the task now is to carry that response into Serie A.
Elkann’s backing for Spalletti
Elkann’s presence is intended as a visible show of support for the team and its coach. He has developed a direct relationship with Spalletti, with the two regularly exchanging messages, and his attendance comes at a time when the coach needs both results and stability around the squad.
The atmosphere has been complicated by the club’s injury problems and by reminders of Juventus’s recent past. Some supporters have displayed posters referring to Antonio Conte, reflecting nostalgia for a former coach, while Spalletti has been trying to keep his focus on rebuilding momentum match by match.
An injury list that keeps growing
Juventus have been hit by a run of serious fitness setbacks. Second-choice goalkeeper Grabara is set to undergo surgery, becoming the fourth Juventus player to require an operation in the space of 20 days, following Yildiz, Thuram and Locatelli.
That sequence has left Spalletti managing a thinner group during a demanding part of the calendar. The emphatic European victory over NEC offered a welcome release, but it did not remove the need for a league turnaround.
Atalanta arrive with familiar faces
Atalanta bring their own Juventus connections to Turin. Their coach, Maurizio Sarri, guided Juventus to their most recent Serie A title in 2020, while Cristiano Giuntoli was involved in the club’s latest trophy success, the 2024 Coppa Italia.
For Juventus, the fixture is therefore not simply another early-season contest. It is an opportunity to turn a European evening into a more convincing domestic chapter, with Elkann’s visit underlining how closely the club will be watching the response.
