Juve, Conceiçao in doubt for Lecce: Spalletti studies 3 solutions

Journalist

December 31, 2025 (changed at 2.48pm) – MILANO

All around Francisco Conceiçao. Three days after returning to the pitch in Serie A against Lecce, at the first of the new year, Luciano Spalletti still doesn’t know if he can count on the Portuguese, who worked separately yesterday after the fatigue suffered at the end of the match against Roma. His recovery would be crucial to bring Juve back to the basic 3-4-2-1 setup seen so far (without the need to adapt Koopmeiners to a position he doesn’t like much) but there will be no risks. If the son of art doesn’t make it, three possible solutions open up for the Juventus coach.

juve, conceiçao in doubt for lecce

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The first is, as mentioned, the confirmation of the former Atalanta player on the attacking midfield. “He can play from all sides because he brings his own style of play. Playing with his back to goal, with Pisa falling back, he had difficulties because he is not a player who turns in an instant if he has the ball at his feet, but he can put important through balls. When I lowered him he did better”, Spalletti had confessed in the “belly” of the “Cetilar Arena”, suggesting however that this solution could be proposed again. Also because it would allow the Juventus coach not to move too many players on the field, confirming almost the entirety of a team that, in the last month, has found continuity in performance and results (7 wins in the last 8 games).

Juve-Lecce, who in Conceiçao’s place?

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The second alternative is to relaunch Zhegrova from the start, but the contraindications are linked to the precarious condition of the Kosovar, who, on the only occasion in which he started (against Pafos in the Champions League) struggled. Otherwise, there is the option of McKennie’s advancement to the attacking midfield, with the insertion of Kostic on the left in midfield. A solution that had worked well in Cremona in Spalletti’s debut match and in the Italian Cup against Udinese, less so in Florence and Naples. Yes, because among those who have not yet returned to availability there is also Juan Cabal, which limits the choices on the external lanes to a minimum.