Juventus return from the international break with Cagliari waiting in Sardinia and an October calendar that will quickly test Luciano Spalletti’s resources. Sunday 11 October is the first of seven matches before the meeting with Napoli on 1 November, making the work at Continassa as important as the journey itself.
The coach and the club
The preparation for Cagliari began on Tuesday afternoon, but the squad will take fuller shape during the day as 10 of the 12 internationals due back rejoin the group in Turin.
Spalletti is set to welcome back goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario, together with Zeki Celik, Pape Sarr, Douglas Luiz, Teun Koopmeiners, Edon Zhegrova, Pierre Kalulu, Francisco Conceicao, Nick Woltemade and Kerim Alajbegovic.
Nico Gonzalez and Jhon Lucumi, Juventus’ two South American internationals, will be the last to return, with their arrival scheduled for Thursday.
Alajbegovic under assessment
Particular attention will be paid to Alajbegovic. The 19-year-old missed Bosnia’s most recent match after ending the previous one with a goal but also cramp. Juventus’ medical staff will examine him on Wednesday as Spalletti considers whether he can be included for the Sardinian trip.
The coach resumes club work without several players. Kenan Yildiz, Khephren Thuram, Manuel Locatelli, Grabara, Ekhator and Boga remain unavailable, reducing the options available ahead of a demanding sequence.
There is better news over Andrea Cambiaso, who has recovered. Juventus will also make a late decision on Colombian defender Juan Cabal, with Spalletti hoping to add him to the travelling squad if his condition allows.
The first step in a demanding month
- Juventus began their Cagliari preparations on Tuesday afternoon.
- Ten returning internationals are expected at Continassa on Wednesday.
- Gonzalez and Lucumi are due in Turin on Thursday.
- Cagliari await on Sunday 11 October, beginning a run of seven fixtures.
- The stretch concludes with Napoli on 1 November.
For Juventus, the immediate task is not simply to emerge from the break with players back in Turin. It is to restore a working group quickly enough to begin October with a result in Cagliari, while protecting a squad already carrying a significant list of absences.
