Midfielder Tino Anjorin and defender Saba Goglichidze both finished on the losing side, as Empoli stumbled to a heavy 4-1 defeat in Turin.
However, neither completed 90 minutes so head coach Motta only got a glimpse of their silky skills. Anjorin was replaced on 49 minutes by Szymon Zurkowski, and Goglichidze was sent on 10 minutes later for captain Ardian Ismajli.
Versatile Anjorin spent the 2023/24 season with English League One outfit Portsmouth on loan from Chelsea, but suffered a serious hamstring injury. He had been lined up for a return to Portsmouth, yet last August signed a three-year deal with Empoli.
English-born Anjorin can be utilised as an attacking midfielder or on the left wing. He has been attracting attention from German club RB Leipzig, with Atalanta and Torino joining Juventus as admirers.
Yet Anjorin would only arrive to fill the boots of Nicolo Fagioli, who has limited opportunities at Juve. Fagioli is being touted for a move to French highflyers Olympique de Marseille, although now Fiorentina have entered the chase.
Selling to a rival in the top half of Serie A may seem foolhardy by the Bianconeri, but Fiorentina signed Juve flop Moise Kean last summer.
Georgian international Goglichidze was considered as a back-up plan should the loan for Kevin Danso from Lens fail. Danso failed his medical at Juventus and has since joined Tottenham Hotspur in the English Premier League on loan with an obligation to buy.
Center-back Goglichidze’s value has skyrocketed to €8 million (US$8.3m), since joining Empoli a year ago for €500,000 (US$518,000) from Georgian club Torpedo Kutaisi.