Juventus’ injury ledger has gained another entry, although this time the consequences will be felt more directly by Cremonese than by Luciano Spalletti’s first team. Adin Licina, the 19-year-old Juventus attacking midfielder on loan in Serie B, fractured his left wrist during a friendly at the Juventus Training Center and underwent surgery at J-Medical on the same day.
The coach and the club
The match against Fabio Pecchia’s Cremonese had offered Licina a productive return to Continassa. The German prospect, sent out to gain regular experience, set up Federico Bonazzoli’s winning goal before suffering a contusion and sprain to his wrist.
Tests confirmed a fracture and the two clubs agreed on immediate treatment. Dr Pegoli performed a reduction procedure at J-Medical, with the operation reported as successful. Licina is expected to be unavailable to Pecchia for around two weeks, rather than becoming another absence for Spalletti’s Serie A and Europa League plans.
Even so, the episode has extended an uncomfortable pattern around Juventus. From Kenan Yildiz’s injury on 31 August through to Licina’s operation, Juventus-linked players have undergone six surgical procedures in 31 days.
Licina had already contributed three goals across Serie B and the Coppa Italia after his move from Juventus, and the former Bayern player will now have to pause that early progress with Cremonese.
A month of operations
Licina follows Randal Kolo Muani, who required an operation on a finger after the match against Atalanta. The French forward is currently playing with a protective brace.
The more serious cases have removed key options from Juventus for far longer. Yildiz suffered a fracture to the fifth metatarsal in his left foot at Frosinone and is not expected back before December. Khephren Thuram underwent right-knee chondroplasty after the Parma match, with January identified as his likely return period.
Manuel Locatelli sustained a lateral meniscus injury in his right knee against Milan and faces an absence stretching into February or March. Goalkeeper Kamil Grabara suffered an anterior cruciate ligament injury in training after his debut against NEC, leaving him out for between six and seven months and unlikely to return before spring.
Juventus have already acted on Grabara’s absence by bringing in free agent Neto as his replacement. The Brazilian watched the Cremonese friendly from the touchline alongside Yildiz and Locatelli, both of whom were on crutches: a small scene that reflected the cost of an unusually punishing opening month for the club.
