Spalletti recovers two key Juventus players but injury crisis still a burden | OneFootball

Juventus find themselves in a minor crisis of injuries and results in the early stages of the 2026-27 season, but Luciano Spalletti will be pleased to have welcomed both Andrea Cambiaso and Weston McKennie back to first-team training following Sunday’s disappointing loss to Sassuolo.

McKennie and Cambiaso back in training with Juventus

The Bianconeri began the 2026-27 season with back-to-back victories over Frosinone and Parma, but have since been held to a 1-1 draw at home against Milan before falling to a 3-2 defeat against Sassuolo over the weekend, which has left the Old Lady in eighth place in the Serie A table.

REGGIO NELL’EMILIA, ITALY – SEPTEMBER 13: Vasilije Adzic of US Sassuolo celebrates after scoring his team’s third goal during the Serie A match between US Sassuolo and Juventus at Mapei Stadium – Citta’ del Tricolore on September 13, 2026 in Reggio nell’Emilia, Italy. (Photo by Emmanuele Ciancaglini/Getty Images)

Spalletti was without nine first team players against Sassuolo, including three of his first-choice midfielders in McKennie, Khephren Thuram and Manuel Locatelli. This meant that the previously ‘unwanted’ pair of Teun Koopmeiners and Douglas Luiz were called in to start together against the Neroverdi.

As well as McKennie, Thuram and Locatelli, Juve were also without Cambiaso, Juan Cabal, Jeremie Boga, Jeff Ekhator, Arkadiusz Milik and star attacker Kenan Yildiz.

Thuram, Locatelli and Yildiz are still expected to be unavailable for several months, but in more positive news for Spalletti, Cambiaso and McKennie returned to group training with the first-team on Tuesday morning after working individually over the last few days.

FROSINONE, ITALY – AUGUST 23: Weston Mckennie of FC Juventus in action during the Serie A match between Frosinone Calcio and Juventus FC at Stadio Benito Stirpe on August 23, 2026 in Frosinone, Italy.(Photo by Giuseppe Bellini/Getty Images)

Cambiaso had missed the last two matches due to a sprained ankle, whilst McKennie has missed the last three with a muscular issue.

Both are now hoping to be involved for Thursday’s Europa League clash against NEC on Thursday, if not for the Serie A match against Atalanta on Sunday.