Juventus will be without midfielders Teun Koopmeiners and Douglas Luiz in Sunday’s Serie A match against Inter Milan.
This according to today’s print edition of Milan-based newspaper Gazzetta dello Sport, via FCInterNews. They report that the duo will both be absent due to injury.
In just a few days’ time, Inter and Juventus will play the first Derby d’Italia of the season.
Clashes between the Nerazzurri and the Bianconeri are always among the showpiece occasions for Italian football.
And moreover, as is often the case, this weekend’s match as the feel of a potential title decider.
Therefore, both Inter coach Simone Inzaghi and Juventus’s Thiago Motta will want as strong a team as possible for Sunday’s match.
But both coaches will have to work around some injuries.
In the case of Inter, midfielder Hakan Calhanoglu is likely to be out. That is a huge blow considering the Turk’s importance for the Nerazzurri.
Moreover, defender Francesco Acerbi will also definitely miss Sunday’s match.
But Juventus will have some heavy absences of their own.
Juventus To Miss Koopmeiners & Douglas Luiz For Derby D’Italia Vs Inter
As the Gazzetta notes, two notable absences for Juventus will be defender Bremer and striker Arkadiusz Milik.
Bremer should miss the rest of the season with an ACL tear. And Milik is not expected to make his first appearance of the season until December.
Then, there is winger Nico Gonzalez. The former Fiorentina and Stuttgart man is recovering from an injury and won’t be fit for Sunday.
But the biggest absences could come in midfield.
Firstly, there is former Aston Villa and Girona midfielder Douglas Luiz.
The 26-year-old Brazilian international suffered a knock in the warmup for the Bianconeri’s Champions League match against Stuttgart this week.
Medical tests ruled out a serious injury for Luiz. But he will not be available for selection on Sunday.
Then, midfielder Koopmeiners has been aiming to return for the Derby d’Italia from a rib injury.
But the Gazzetta anticipate that the Dutchman will not be able to make it back in time.
