Manuel Locatelli could miss the rest of the season with knee injury

Juventus manager Massimiliano Allegri provided a worrying update regarding the status of Manuel Locatelli, who’s currently out of action with a knee injury.

The Italian midfielder sustained a “first-degree injury of the medial collateral ligament of the right knee” in Juve’s defeat to Inter Milan in the Derby d’Italia earlier this month.

Initially, Locatelli was expected to miss a month of football as a result, but Allegri hinted ahead of Monday night’s trip to Sassuolo that he might not take to the field again this season.

Manuel Locatelli’s knee injury could keep him out of action until the end of the season

Speaking in Sunday’s pre-match press conference, Allegri wasn’t optimistic over the fitness of both Locatelli and Weston McKennie.

“Weston McKennie has started running, but he’s still a long way off being match fit. The same goes for Manuel Locatelli, who I don’t think will make it back before the end of the season,” he said.

McKennie suffered a double foot fracture back in February which was set to rule him out for the remainder of the season. However, the American’s recovery has been quicker than expected and while Allegri says he’s still some way off being match ready, we could see the midfielder in action before the season’s up.

Juventus have five Serie A games remaining as well as the Coppa Italia final against Inter on May 11.

The injuries to Locatelli, McKennie and more recently Arthur Melo has meant Allegri’s been reliant on Denis Zakaria and Adrien Rabiot in the middle of the park. Both have held their own in recent weeks and they’ve been ably supported by versatile full-back Danilo, who’s also been utilised in midfield by the manager.

In other injury news, Juan Cuadrado will miss the trip to the Mapei with an adductor strain. The Colombian will undergo exams at J-Medical on Monday to determine the full extent of the issue. Fears have already arisen that he could miss the Coppa Italia final in just over two weeks time.