Blow for Juventus as Kenan Yildiz could miss Atalanta showdown | OneFootball

Juventus might have to do without the services of Kenan Yildiz when they host Atalanta on Sunday night.

The Bianconeri will clash heads with Gian Piero Gasperini’s band in one of the most anticipated fixtures of Serie A this month, as the two clubs are involved in the race for Champions League spots, and both still fancy their chances to clinch the Scudetto title, even though Inter and Napoli remain the main favourites.

As we reported earlier this morning, the Turkish international was already expected to start on the bench, with Weston McKennie, Teun Koopmeiners and Nico Gonzalez forming the support crew for Randal Kolo Muani. However, some accounts left the 19-year-old a 40% chance to pip the Dutch midfielder for a starting place.

Nevertheless, La Gazzetta dello Sport now reveals, Yildiz is suffering from flu, so Thiago Motta and his technical staff will evaluate the player’s condition before making a final decision on the matter.

(Photo by Valerio Pennicino/Getty Images)

So if the teenager were to pass the athletic test, he would likely start from the bench, as a starting role looks unlikely at this stage.

Although the youngster had his highs and lows this season, his absence would be a significant blow for the Bianconeri, especially with Francisco Conceicao still out of action with a muscle injury.

But the good news for Juventus is that Federico Gatti has managed to overcome his recent physical struggles and is now fully available. The Italian defender was forced to stop in midweek due to muscle fatigue, but is now tipped to start alongside Lloyd Kelly in defence following a speedy recovery.

Hence, Pierre Kalulu and Renato Veiga, who both returned from spells on the sidelines, will likely start on the bench, but they could have a role to play at some stage during the contest.