The first training session of 2026 has delivered an important boost for Luciano Spalletti’s Juventus. Francisco Conceicao has returned to full training with the rest of the squad and is therefore considered fit and available for the match against Lecce, scheduled for 18:00 on Saturday 3 January. The Portuguese winger had been sidelined since the game against Roma on 20 December due to a minor muscle problem and was forced to miss the final fixture of 2025 against Pisa.
After completing individual work in the early part of this week, Calciomercato report that Conceicao has now rejoined the group. His recovery puts him firmly in contention for a place in the starting eleven for the Serie A Matchday 18 fixture. If tomorrow’s final training session confirms his condition, Spalletti is ready to consider him from the first minute in a three-man attack alongside Kenan Yildiz and one of Lois Openda or Jonathan David. Edon Zhegrova, who has been growing in form and made a decisive impact off the bench against Pisa, is expected to offer an important option as a substitute.
Attacking Options for Spalletti
Should Spalletti decide not to risk Conceicao immediately, opting to call him up but leaving him on the bench at kick-off, there are several alternative solutions. The first would be to confirm Teun Koopmeiners in the role of attacking midfielder, playing behind the central striker, a set-up that offers balance between creativity and structure in the final third.
Another possibility, in the case of a more attacking approach, would be to field both Jonathan David and Lois Openda from the start. In that scenario, David would operate as the central reference point in attack, with Openda deployed on the right side of the front three. Since the beginning of the season, Conceicao has made 19 appearances in all competitions and scored 3 goals, underlining the significance of having him back at Spalletti’s disposal as Juventus enter a key phase of their campaign.
