Juventus have lost their midfield backbone, coach Antonio Spalletti said the lack of Federico Locatelli is a serious disadvantage for the team. The midfielder, who led Spalletti's midfield in the first seven months of his management, was forced to stop due to a knee operation. His absence proved to be particularly critical after the defeat against Roma, where the team showed poor defensive balance and lost control of the game.
Locatelli was the point of reference for Spalletti, a player who knew how to verticalize the game and connect the offensive and defensive phases. The coach underlined that, unlike DouglasLuiz, who prefers lateral passes, Locatelli was used to long balls and keeping the team together. With his absence, Juventus have lost the ability to keep their departments glued together and counter their opponents with strategic passes.
The midfielder has had a dominant role in the season, playing 31 out of 32 times in Serie A, with the exception of one suspension. His presence was also fundamental in the Champions League, where he started six out of seven matches. The knee operation was discovered immediately after the draw with Milan, and since then the team has recorded disappointing results: a win against Atalanta, a defeat against Sassuolo and Lazio and a risk of loss against Cagliari.
Spalletti expressed frustration at the loss of Locatelli, but also recognized the need to adapt. The available replacements are DouglasLuiz, Koopmeiners, McKennie and Sarr, but none of them have yet shown the same stability and leadership as the Italian midfielder. The absence of Thuram, who suffered a broken foot, and Yildiz, who was injured, further weakened the team.
Despite the difficulties, Spalletti remains confident in Juventus' ability to overcome this phase. He has already indicated that the team will continue to look for solutions to fill the void left by Locatelli, both with existing players and with possible external reinforcements. The next match will be a crucial test to evaluate how the team can adapt without its central midfielder.