Juventus are growing increasingly concerned about the numerous injuries plaguing Thiago Motta’s squad since the start of the year.. The latest casualty was Juan Cabal, whose season has already ended, but among the many players still sidelined is Argentine winger Nico Gonzalez. The former Fiorentina player has been out of action since the resounding Champions League victory against Leipzig (where Bremer also suffered a cruciate ligament injury). As of now, the outlook for his participation in the crucial match against Milan after the international break is not positive.
Calciomercato detail how Gonzalez arrived in Turin as one of the most glittering acquisitions in sporting director Cristiano Giuntoli’s vibrant summer transfer campaign. The deal was structured as an initial loan fee of 8.4 million euros, with a mandatory purchase option set at 28.1 million euros, plus potential bonuses of 5 million euros, totaling a projected 33 million euros investment. However, this significant outlay has only yielded 6 appearances (1 goal and 1 assist against PSV in the Champions League) and a mere 307 minutes of playing time for Thiago Motta’s side so far.
It’s worth noting that Gonzalez arrived late in Turin, missing the entire pre-season preparation and the first few league matches. He was playing catch-up fitness-wise, but the injury sustained against Leipzig has proven more serious and complicated to manage than initially anticipated. After limping off the field, medical examinations confirmed “a low-grade lesion of the rectus femoris in his right thigh.”
Typically, recovery times for such injuries are estimated at 10-14 days. However, given that the Leipzig match took place on October 2nd, the layoff has now extended beyond six weeks. Yesterday, during the last training session at Continassa before Thiago Motta granted three days off, Gonzalez did not train with his teammates and continued to work separately, indicating ongoing issues in his recovery process.
The underlying problem is that Nico didn’t arrive in Turin in the best condition. The medical staff at JMedical have decided to try and fully resolve past niggles as well, which is contributing to the extended recovery time. The goal is to have him 100% fit when he rejoins the group.
Regarding his chances of featuring against Milan, the situation remains uncertain. Sources at Continassa assure that Monday will be a key day, as they will attempt to have him ready, at least for the bench, at all costs. However, much will depend on how he responds on the field. While it’s difficult to make predictions, it’s clear that, for now, Thiago Motta has been able to count on Gonzalez far less than he would have liked.
