Juventus’ long injury list acquired an unlikely footnote in Lissone, where Luciano Spalletti narrowly avoided a fall after meeting supporters outside the IBC following a session between coaches and referees.
The episode came on the same day that Randal Kolo Muani suffered a fractured finger, adding another concern to an already crowded treatment room at Juventus. The club’s difficult run with fitness problems has become a recurring theme around the season, and supporters quickly turned Spalletti’s brief stumble into another joke about the apparent curse hanging over the Bianconeri.
Spalletti had spent time speaking with journalists after the meeting before stopping for photographs and autographs on his way out. During one selfie, he lost his balance and came close to hitting the ground, prompting an immediate reaction from those around him.
“If you get injured too, it really becomes a curse,” one fan told the Juventus coach. Another, referring to the recent discussion around refereeing standards, joked: “That is a foul even under the new interpretation.”
Spalletti took the moment lightly, smiled and continued with the supporters. “I took a whack,” he said, before carrying on with the photographs.
It was a harmless incident, but one that reflected the mood surrounding Juventus: even an awkward step outside a referees’ meeting can seem part of a broader run of misfortune when injuries have repeatedly interrupted the club’s work.
