The injury list continues to grow, and the news is far from reassuring for Juventus. After losing Cabal, whose injury has left the defence severely weakened, the Bianconeri now face the possibility of heading into Saturday’s crucial match against Milan at San Siro without their key attacking options.
The situation is clear: Nico González is still recovering, Milik is nowhere to be seen, and Dusan Vlahovic, who left Serbia’s match against Denmark with a flexor issue, is set to undergo medical tests today. Early signs suggest he is unlikely to feature against Milan. This leaves coach Thiago Motta with only two makeshift options for the striker role: Yildiz or Weah—not exactly ideal for a match of this magnitude.
As for Vlahovic, his grim expression as he left the pitch suggests there’s little room for optimism. He felt discomfort in his flexor muscle, strong enough to force him to exit the match early. Whether he stopped in time to avoid serious damage will be determined by today’s tests, but the five days remaining before the Milan clash seem insufficient for a quick recovery. Even if a recovery were possible, it would likely be a significant risk, especially given Juventus’ current lack of depth in both attack and defense.
Meanwhile, Inter midfielder Hakan Çalhanoğlu also suffered a setback during international duty with Turkey but appears to be on track to recover for his club’s next Serie A fixture. Speaking at a press conference ahead of Turkey’s Nations League match against Montenegro, Çalhanoğlu addressed his decision to remain with the national team despite his injury.
“I want to thank Inter president Beppe Marotta for his understanding,” Çalhanoğlu said. “After the match against Wales, Inter officials contacted me and our coach directly. I decided to stay here, but unfortunately, I won’t be able to play tomorrow. My old injury flared up, but it’s not serious, and I have no pain. There are no lesions. I hope to be back on the pitch for Inter in the match against Verona.”
Juventus face a critical test at San Siro with a depleted squad, while Inter appear poised to welcome Çalhanoğlu back as they resume their campaign against Verona. The contrasting injury situations could prove pivotal in shaping the outcomes of their respective fixtures.
