Pape Sarr’s first Juventus start has given Luciano Spalletti an early answer at a time when the midfield is losing two familiar reference points. The Senegal international was imperfect against NEC in the Europa League, but his energy, availability and forward intent left the coach with reasons to trust him.
The decision
Spalletti described Sarr as a “thoroughbred pony” in his own equestrian language, having previously likened Woltemade to a Friesian horse. It was a characteristically vivid assessment after the former Tottenham midfielder’s first start for Juventus.
“He has quality in his running,” Spalletti said. “He answered me back a couple of times too, so that is a positive. Players with those characteristics can lose a little precision on the ball, but he did many things well. He remained involved with the team and close to the ball throughout.”
Sarr’s vertical pass helped release Weston McKennie in the move that led to Alajbegovic’s goal for 2-0. His willingness to receive possession was also clear: he had 69 touches, the second-highest Juventus total behind Lucumì, despite making his debut in the starting side.
There were understandable rough edges. Sarr misplaced passes, particularly during the opening phase, and surrendered the ball six times. He won only three of his 10 duels, a return that may reflect a physical condition still being rebuilt after he joined Juventus from Tottenham at the end of August while managing the aftermath of a muscle problem.
Even so, he offered signs of a useful presence for a Juventus midfield set to be without Manuel Locatelli and Khephren Thuram for an extended period. Sarr made three recoveries, registered one further ball win and completed a tackle, combining his work without possession with a readiness to keep Juventus moving.
His strongest campaign in England came in 2024-25, when he won the Europa League. There, his profile was associated above all with driving forward and playing progressive passes. At Juventus, his immediate value may lie elsewhere.
Alongside Douglas Luiz, Sarr could be asked to hold his position, regain the ball and restart moves simply from deeper areas. That would resemble the recent work of Locatelli, whose discipline allowed the Brazilian to advance towards the attacking midfield line and seek the decisive pass. Once Sarr has recovered his best physical level, Spalletti will expect that running power to become even more influential.
