Juventus may have an absentee for their Serie A opener against Frosinone next Sunday (23), but the reason is unusual.
Defender Federico Gatti is still in pain after being slide-tackled by a fan during a pitch invasion at Allianz Stadium last Monday, in a friendly against the club’s under-23 team.
Yes, you read that right! The defender was tackled by a fan!
Pitch invasions by fans are a tradition during the annual season-opening friendly between the first team and the "Old Lady’s" youth side.
However, this year, the fans started the celebrations early and invaded the pitch at half-time.
While most of the players quickly ran to the dressing room, Gatti was in the middle of the pitch with his back to the crowd.
He was caught off guard by the fans’ rapid approach and was hit by a slide tackle.
Consequences for the player and the club
Gatti’s medical situation: According to Gazzetta dello Sport, the defender was rested from Tuesday’s training session. Although medical tests did not detect any serious injury, he is still feeling pain where he was hit and will be reassessed throughout the week to determine whether he will be fit to play.
Damage to the stadium: The uncontrolled pitch invasion damaged the Allianz Stadium turf. The field will need emergency repairs before the team’s first home match, scheduled for August 29 against Parma.
Review of the event: Because of what happened, Juventus’ board is already considering changes to the format of the tradition starting next year to prevent further incidents and ensure the players’ physical safety.
This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇧🇷 here.
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