With Federico Chiesa ruled out for the rest of the season, both Juventus and Italy must think about replacing the talented winger for the next few months.
The 24-year-old’s campaign is over as Juventus confirmed an ACL tear for the former Fiorentina star who sustained a knee injury against Roma yesterday.
Chiesa will undergo surgery in the coming days missing the second part of the season with the Bianconeri and Italy’s World Cup play-offs against North Macedonia and possibly Turkey or Portugal.
Chiesa has scored four goals and delivered four assists in 18 appearances across all competitions this season and both the Bianconeri and the Azzurri must find a valuable replacement in the second part of the campaign.
Season over for Chiesa as Juventus confirm serious knee injury
Chiesa’s injury could mean Dejan Kulusevski won’t leave Turin in January.
The Swede has been linked with a move to Tottenham, but he is also the natural replacement of Chiesa. Yesterday he replaced his teammate and scored the equaliser against Roma.
It remains to be seen if the Bianconeri will try to sign a new player in the winter transfer window, but either Moise Kean or Weston McKennie can play as attacking wingers, the natural role of Federico Bernardeschi, who is also part of the Bianconeri squad.
Bear in mind that Juventus have a tiny transfer budget and can’t sign new players permanently in January.
Bernardeschi could also replace Chiesa with the national team, although Domenico Berardi should become the regular starter now that Chiesa has been forced to the sidelines.
The Sassuolo featured in Italy’s starting XI in the first few games at the Euros last summer, with Chiesa on the bench.
Berardi has been in fine form this season, having scored ten goals and delivered nine assists in 19 Serie A games.
The 27-year-old made his senior Italy debut in June 2018 and has scored six goals in 23 appearances with the Azzurri.
With Italy it will have to be Berardi, Politano, Bernadeschi.
Berardi as 1st choice.
Chiesa as brilliant as he is can for me can still be replaced in the national team. Berardi, Zaniolo and Pellegrini can all slot into that role, we just have to keep them fit and Covid free too.
The key for me is actually Spinazzola returning and being sharp. Spina’s style is key to our attacking approach, and it’s not a coincidence that we haven’t quite had the same impact in an attacking sense since the Belgium quarter final as a result.
Hopefully some good can come out of this bad news by adding impetus to the goal, galvanising the squad to do it for Fede.
juBentus have Kulusevski, who is a great talent. Probably takes a good coach to get the best out of him, but he will finally get some regular playing time.
Italy have Berardi.
Any other questions?
nahhh, with Zaniolo Italy should be fine.
Zaniolo was the first choice anyway before he injured 2xACL.
Berardi has had a better season than Chiesa.
But ask yourself:
– Can Berardi take players on and get those 2 chances he did against England?
– Put the Spain players under pressure to create that goal in the NL.
– Have a shot like that against Spain in the SF of the EC?
To me, he cannot. He has other characteristics, however. But he isn’t as dynamic as Chiesa.
For a potential Portugal match, Jota is a threat.
On the Defensive part of the ball, Chiesa is better than Berardi.
I hope to put chiellini in his place so he can butcher other talented players, hopefully from the next game on.
@ Brandon
Spot on with your first post! Berardi is simply not at Chiesa’s level in an attacking sense. But then again, not many are in the National
Moussa Diaby and Son Heung -min for Juventus.
Italy can manage with a 4-3-2-1 without Chiesa or even a 4-2-3-1.
Zaniolo or Politano will have to replace him against Macedonia. Those are the two other best options. Better than berardi imo
Zanioli will be injured in the first 8 minutes of the first Training session, it won’t matter.
This is not a match for Zaniolo. I like the kid but believe me when I write this. Maybe North Macedonia. But Portugal or Turkey? No. Has to be one of the other 3.
This is a killer for Italy, you can throw all the bodies you want out there but there is no comparable replacement.
@I MISS Juventus, Stunad you cannot help yourself can you. It will be be funny if our team of misfits defeats the mighty Inter on Wednesday. Now take your sorry behind, go back into your hole and take Ahmed Hossam and all the other Juve haters with you.
Raspadori and Scamacca.
Use Davide Fratessi as a winger and in front it should be scamacca
Talking about Right Wingers. Not Center Forwards.
Comments not getting posted suddenly??
😭😭 Universe shower blessings .. help Chiesa comeback stronger and play for Azzurri in the WC. Bless Azzurri to prepare well and qualify for the WC 🙏🍀
Why so many similar injuries in Stadio Olympico❓❓Zaniolo, Demiral, Danilo, Chiesa 🙄🙄
Thanks Jorginho.
Berardi has 10 Goals in 19 matches. Only 3 of which are on PK’s. As I wrote elsewhere, he is having the better the statistical year over Chiesa.
I am gutted with this injury as these Playoffs would surely had seen Chiesa thrive. But we have options.
If we score early on North Macedonia, then they will have no choice but to open up. Then the 2nd and 3rd will come. Chiellini can’t play 2 matches in a week.
Need to do what Germany did in their second meeting, not the first meeting.