Just as was the case when Kenan Yildiz ended up breaking a bone in his toe last month, the worst-case scenario reports about Manuel Locatelli’s sudden knee injury and potential surgery needed turned out to be right on the money.
Monday brought news that surgery was possible. Tuesday brought news that surgery has taken place.
Juventus have announced that Locatelli has undergone successful surgery in Lyon, France, to repair an injury to the meniscus in his right knee. While Juve’s medical update on Locatelli did
not specify just how long he will be out for, most Italian media outlets like Sky Italiaare reporting that the Bianconeri captain will be out much longer than the initial three-month absence most thought. Instead, it could be a five- or six-month absence for Locatelli, who sustained the injury in the first half of Sunday night’s draw with Milan.
The short yet incredibly important update regarding Locatelli’s right knee is as follows:
Following the sprain to his right knee sustained during the Juventus-Milan match, Manuel Locatelli underwent surgery today to suture the external meniscus of his right knee.
The operation, performed by Dr. Bertrand Sonnery-Cottet in the presence of the club’s doctor, Dr. Marco Freschi, at the Hôpital Privé Jean Mermoz in Lyon, was a complete success.
The player will begin his scheduled rehabilitation program tomorrow.
Yeah, this is bad. Not just because it’s the captain being out for what could end up being six months, but it’s also another hit to the solar plexus on the injury front for a squad that has just seen shot after shot the first three weeks of the season. If it’s not Kenan Yildiz then it’s Khephren Thuram. If it’s not Thuram then it’s all of the different muscle injuries we’ve already seen.
Three of Juventus’ most important players — including both pieces of the double pivot Luciano Spalletti used for much of his first months as manager last season — are all long-term injuries, with Yildiz being the first to come back later this season. (Which, at this point, feels like after the November international break, which is nearly December at that point.)
For Spalletti, it’s a huge hit. Unless Weston McKennie and Pape Matar Sarr come back this weekend for the trip to face Sassuolo ahead of the Europa League opener on Sept. 17, then it will be a Juve squad with more midfielders injured as compared to being healthy heading to the Mapei Stadium. Where Spalletti goes from here both in the immediate future and the longer term during Locatelli’s absence is completely unknown at this point other than just playing the two healthy midfielders he has. When McKennie and Sarr hopefully come back soon, then there may be a little more flexibility just because there’s more bodies available, but who knows.
Still, five or six months on the sidelines is brutal. Just absolutely brutal.
With Locatelli out, Gleison Bremer will now take over as the full-time captain. And, as is likely just a move to give this squad a little more depth, 21-year-old midfielder Augusto Owusu is expected to be promoted from the Next Gen team.
