There will be no barbecues, no beach, no afternoon of idleness at Juventus this Ferragosto. The squad reported for training on Saturday morning as the new season’s preparation enters its most focused and meaningful phase. Eight days separate the club from the opening Serie A fixture at Frosinone on Sunday 23 August — and between now and then, every session, every decision, and every conversation matters.
Monday’s Next Gen Match: Spalletti Rehearses the Starting Eleven
On Monday, the Allianz Stadium opens its doors to supporters for the traditional pre-season family occasion — the internal friendly between the first team and the Next Gen. It is not merely a celebration. For Spalletti, it is the final genuine opportunity to test the formation and the line-up he intends to field against Frosinone six days later. The match will give supporters their first glimpse of the new Juventus in the environment that matters most — and it will give the manager a definitive read on whether his squad’s physical and tactical preparation is where he needs it to be.
The Goalkeeper Position: Perin Steps In Until the Market Resolves It
The most significant outstanding question for Monday’s line-up — and indeed for Frosinone — concerns the goalkeeper. Michele Di Gregorio has no realistic path back into Spalletti’s plans, and with the transfer market still active until 1 September, the club continues to work on an incoming solution. Mattia Perin will start against the Next Gen and, if no new signing arrives in the coming days, will be the first-choice goalkeeper for the Frosinone opener. He knows the club, knows the system, and will approach the responsibility with the professionalism that has always characterised his time in Turin.
The Starting Line-Up Taking Shape
In defence, Çelik is advancing in the pecking order on the right, Kalulu is categorically untouchable, and Bremer and Kelly appear certain of starting places alongside him for the time being — with Lucumí, whose medical is scheduled for Sunday, not yet at the point of being fully integrated. Gatti waits for a market resolution.
In midfield, Spalletti’s most trusted combination remains Locatelli alongside Douglas Luiz — the pairing that has given him the most confidence throughout a pre-season that has gradually convinced the manager of the Brazilian’s redemptive potential. Behind the striker, McKennie could feature in the more advanced trequartista role, flanked by Yıldız on one side and Conceição on the other. Alajbegovic’s debut will be managed carefully — Spalletti intends to use him as a weapon from the bench initially, deploying his unpredictability in a game-changing capacity rather than from the very first minute.
Up front, there is no debate and no alternative: Kolo Muani leads the line.
Elkann at the Allianz Stadium — and Two Injury Concerns to Monitor
John Elkann is expected at the Allianz Stadium for Monday’s family match — a significant presence that underlines the owner’s personal engagement with the new Spalletti project and his desire to witness the first chapter of the season’s narrative at close quarters. A further meeting between Elkann and Spalletti is anticipated, continuing a dialogue that has been a defining feature of the summer’s reconstruction.
Two injury situations require close monitoring ahead of Frosinone. Khéphren Thuram’s patellofemoral syndrome continues to require careful management, with the French midfielder targeting a competitive debut but needing to be built up gradually before the full physical load of the season is placed on him. Jeff Ekhator’s low-grade biceps femoris problem has kept him sidelined for several weeks, and his future at the club this season remains linked to the outcome of the market — should both David remain and a further striker arrive, the space for his development within the first-team environment would all but disappear. His situation is one of the final dominos of a summer that, as Spalletti himself would say, is not yet finished.
Ferragosto at the Continassa is not a holiday. It is the last runway before the season takes off.
