Max Allegri has revealed that Juventus hope to have Federico Chiesa back playing before the 2022 FIFA World Cup in December.
The Euro 2020 winner suffered a cruciate ligament rupture was back in January during Juve’s dramatic 4-3 win over AS Roma at Stadio Olimpico, and has been out of action ever since. Chiesa was expected to be back at the start of the season but suffered a set back to the injury during a summer training session.
Speaking to the press ahead of Juve’s clash with Salernitana on Sunday, manager Allegri gave a positive update on Chiesa’s fitness stating that he expects the player to be back in the squad prior to the World Cup – which kicks off at the end of November:
“Well, I hope to have Chiesa before the World Cup and, like I’ve have always said, I think he will be 100% in January.”
Chiesa isn’t the only key player Allegri is currently unable to call upon, with new signings Paul Pogba and Angel Di Maria also out of action due to injuries. The manager has stated that, due to these injuries to key players, Juve should be happy with their performances thus far this season:
“We are missing some important players, because as numbers we would have been more and I would have had the opportunity to make more changes. Right now we have to grit our teeth and get on with the job. If we take away Pogba, Di Maria and Chiesa – the equivalent of the other teams – we must be happy with what we are doing knowing that the prospect is rosy.”
When asked about the team he could field this Sunday, Allegri replied: I haven’t yet decided upon the formation, this morning we tried some solutions and then I will decide.
“Arek Milik and Dusan Vlahovic could both play together, but I have to consider it in view of [the next game], because Milik has played a lot lately and then there is also the matter of characteristics, I have to make the formation fit in the right way, obviously taking into account who will be able to enter the pitch during the match in progress. Whoever begins on the bench can and must be decisive.”
