Juventus is facing another setback as Teun Koopmeiners joins Gleison Bremer and Nico Gonzalez on the injury list. The Dutch midfielder suffered a rib fracture and was substituted at halftime during the match against Cagliari before the international break. Koopmeiners has withdrawn from the Netherlands national team and is now focused on his recovery. But when can manager Thiago Motta expect him back in action?
Gianluca Di Marzio reports how current estimates suggest Koopmeiners will miss the upcoming match against Lazio on October 19th at the Allianz Stadium. His participation in the Champions League fixture against Stuttgart and the crucial Serie A clash with Inter Milan at San Siro is also in doubt.
The timeline for Koopmeiners’ return will largely depend on his pain tolerance and how he responds to treatment. The club is exploring the possibility of using a protective brace to expedite his return. However, a full recovery is not expected until the Juventus-Parma match on October 30th.
Interestingly, Juventus faced a similar situation with Manuel Locatelli last season. The Italian midfielder sustained a comparable rib injury against Cagliari before an international break. Upon returning, Locatelli managed to play 30 minutes against Inter while wearing a protective vest, though he was still experiencing discomfort. It took approximately one month for Locatelli to make a complete recovery, after which he started in a match against Napoli.
