A new concern has emerged at Juventus ahead of the highly anticipated Derby d’Italia against Inter. Francisco Conceição suffered a muscular problem while training with Portugal in Budapest, forcing him to return early to Turin for medical checks at JMedical. Initial impressions suggest the injury is not overly serious, but the club’s staff will monitor his recovery closely.
Possible Formation Change
IlBianconero report how, with Conceição at risk of missing Sunday’s clash, Igor Tudor has been forced to consider alternatives. The idea of deploying Jonathan David in the hole behind Dusan Vlahovic has been discarded, as the Croatian coach does not see the Canadian suited to that position.
Instead, a change of shape seems more plausible. Tudor could switch to a 3-5-2, with David partnering Vlahovic in attack, or even turn to Kenan Yildiz as a second striker. Another variant would be the 3-4-1-2, where Yildiz drops slightly deeper to link play behind the forwards.
Who Replaces Conceição?
If Juventus stick with their usual 3-4-2-1, there are different solutions to cover for the Portuguese winger. One option is Loïs Openda, who might not be in his natural role but could offer pace and directness in attack during an emergency scenario.
Edon Zhegrova is another possibility, though his lack of match fitness after missing action since December makes his inclusion less likely. Internal options also remain on the table: Weston McKennie and Teun Koopmeiners, while not specialists in the role, both offer tactical flexibility and the ability to adapt behind the striker.
The next few training sessions will be decisive as Tudor studies which path to take, knowing that the absence of Conceição could oblige Juventus to rethink their entire attacking setup against Inter.
