Juventus International break report: Mixed fortunes for returning stars

As Juventus prepare for their crucial match against AC Milan, the club’s international contingent has returned with varying degrees of success and fitness. The international break has provided both opportunities and challenges for key players, with some flourishing and others facing setbacks.

La Gazzetta dello Sport report how Danilo, the team’s captain, was the last to return to Continassa following Brazil’s two draws in South America. His late arrival means coach Thiago Motta has been working with the defensive pairing of Gatti and Kalulu in his absence. Gatti, who played only ten minutes for Italy against Belgium, is relatively fresh, while Kalulu has been training in Turin throughout the break.

Among the Italian internationals, Andrea Cambiaso has seen the most action, impressing in matches against Belgium and France, even scoring at San Siro. His good form for the national team mirrors his importance to Juventus this season. Manuel Locatelli also enjoyed a positive international break, performing well in both of Italy’s fixtures after a late call-up.

In attack, there were mixed fortunes. Dusan Vlahovic’s return to the Serbian national team was disappointing, as he failed to score and picked up an injury that will see him miss the Milan clash. Kenan Yildiz experienced contrasting emotions, scoring for Turkey but ending up on the losing side against Montenegro.

The American contingent, including Weston McKennie and Timothy Weah, had a taste of the upcoming Milan-Juventus battle as they trained alongside AC Milan’s American players in the U.S. national team. Weah, in particular, showed promising form with a goal against Jamaica, potentially putting him in line to replace the injured Vlahovic.

Teun Koopmeiners seems to have benefited from his time with the Dutch national team, scoring once and playing significant minutes across two matches. This could be a boost for Juventus as they look to maintain their position in the tight race at the top of Serie A.

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