Juventus Faces Crisis as Locatelli Undergoes Knee Surgery and Boga Injured
Juventus rocked as Locatelli undergoes knee surgery and Boga ruled out
The injury list in Turin is no longer a concern. It’s a crisis.
Juventus confirmed on Monday that Manuel Locatelli has undergone knee surgery, while Jeremie Boga faces several weeks out with a thigh problem, stripping the squad of yet more key options at a crucial stage of the season.
Locatelli blow could rule him out until 2027
Locatelli’s setback is the heaviest hit. The midfielder tore the external meniscus in his right knee during Sunday’s 1-1 draw with Milan, a match in which he had been central to Juventus’ control before going down.
The club announced that the 26-year-old travelled to Lyon for an operation to suture the external meniscus. The procedure was completed today and, on paper, went as planned.
The timeline is brutal. Sky Sport Italia report that his absence could stretch to five or even six months, which would effectively rule him out until 2027 and rip a hole straight through the heart of Juventus’ midfield plans.
For a side already juggling absences, losing a leader like Locatelli is a tactical and emotional punch to the gut.
Boga sidelined with thigh strain
As if that weren’t enough, Juventus also confirmed bad news on Jeremie Boga.
The winger has been diagnosed with a medium-grade lesion of the femoral biceps in his left thigh, an injury that immediately takes away one of the squad’s more direct, one-on-one threats in the final third.
Medical staff will reassess Boga in two weeks after fresh tests. The initial outlook is clear enough: he is expected to miss at least a month, with the club bracing for an absence of around five weeks.
A squad stretched to the limit
These latest setbacks land on top of an already packed treatment room. For the recent clash with Milan, Juventus were forced to do without Kenan Yildiz, Khephren Thuram, Weston McKennie, Jeff Ekhator, Juan Cabal, Andrea Cambiaso and Pape Matar Sarr.
Now the list has two more high-profile names, and one of them may not be seen again this calendar year.
The question is no longer who starts for Juventus. It’s who is left.
