Juventus Faces Crisis as Locatelli and Boga Sidelined
The mood around Turin darkened again on Monday. Juventus, already creaking under the weight of absentees, have lost Manuel Locatelli to knee surgery and Jeremie Boga to a thigh injury, stripping even more depth from a squad already stretched to its limit.
Locatelli blow turns concern into crisis
The alarm bells rang during the 1-1 draw with Milan at the Allianz Stadium on Sunday, when Locatelli came off with a knee problem. Now the worst has been confirmed.
Juventus announced that the midfielder underwent surgery in Lyon to repair the external meniscus in his right knee. It was not a minor clean-up. The meniscus was sutured, a procedure that typically demands a long and careful recovery.
Initial indications suggest Locatelli will not be seen again in 2026. Sky Sport Italia reported that the lay-off could run to five or even six months, pushing his return towards the early stages of 2027.
For a side built around his balance in midfield, it is a brutal setback. Locatelli is the metronome, the one who knits play, screens the defence and sets the tempo. Take him out of the structure, and the entire shape of Juventus’ game has to change.
Boga sidelined as list grows
As if that were not enough, Jeremie Boga has also been ruled out for several weeks.
Medical tests revealed a medium-grade lesion to the femoral biceps in his left thigh. The club’s doctors will reassess the winger in two weeks, but the early prognosis is clear: Boga is expected to be out for at least a month, with a more realistic estimate closer to five weeks.
His absence strips Juventus of one of their few direct, one‑on‑one threats in wide areas. In tight Serie A contests, that sort of player can tilt a match. Now he joins the queue at the treatment room door.
A squad under strain
The injuries to Locatelli and Boga do not arrive in isolation; they land on top of an already alarming list.
For the recent clash with Milan, Juventus were forced to cope without Kenan Yildiz, Khephren Thuram, Weston McKennie, Jeff Ekhator, Juan Cabal, Andrea Cambiaso and Pape Matar Sarr. That many absentees would test any squad. Remove a leader like Locatelli and an attacking outlet like Boga on top of that, and the margins become razor thin.
Rotation becomes a luxury. Tactical flexibility shrinks. Every selection becomes a compromise.
The medical staff will now try to manage the load of those still standing, while the coaching staff redraw their plans without their midfield anchor and one of their most dangerous dribblers.
The season is still young, but Juventus already find themselves fighting not just opponents, but the calendar, the recovery room and the unforgiving demands of a campaign that will not slow down for anyone.
