Two Juventus midfielders must take extra heed this evening in Monza if they wish to participate in next weekend’s clash against Fiorentina.
The Bianconeri will be looking to put an end to their abysmal winless run in Serie A after settling for four draws in a row, with the**latest coming against Venezia** who reside at the bottom of the Serie A table. Thiago Motta’s men will be hoping for a different result when they face yet another relegation-threatened side.
But as JuventusNews24 notes, Manuel Locatelli and Nicolo Fagioli must be very careful, as they’re only one booking away from a one-match suspension.
According to Serie A rules, five yellow cards constitute a one-man ban, while the Italian duo have each accumulated four already.
Manuel Locatelli barking instructions to his Juventus teammates
Motta will be particularly worried by Locatelli’s situation, as the 26-year-old has now become a part of the team’s backbone, making the Regista role his own. The former Sassuolo man is impeccable at shielding the backline, while his distribution has been noticeably improving as of late.
With Douglas Luiz ruled out of action and Weston McKennie forced to serve at full-back amidst the injury crisis, the Juventus coach would loathe to lose another midfielder for the big showdown against Fiorentina, especially since the Tuscans are ahead of the Old Lady in the standings, not to mention the great rivalry between the two clubs.
On the other hand, Fagioli’s potential ban is likely less concerning for Motta. After all, the young midfielder has been starving for playing time in recent weeks after falling down in the midfield pecking order. In fact, the 23-year-old might not even feature in the contest at all based on the manager’s choices as of late.
Fagioli has been heavily linked with a January departure to raise funds for new signings, with the likes of Paris Saint-Germain and Bologna emerging as possible destinations.