Kalulu injury blow for Juventus against Benfica | OneFootball

Juventus defender Pierre Kalulu was forced to be substituted in the early stages of a Champions League match against Benfica, and the visitors scored just a few seconds later.

Juventus defender Kalulu was forced off the pitch after just 15 minutes of a Champions League meeting with Benfica in Turin.

The French defender suffered a suspected muscle injury and initially went off the pitch for medical treatment.

Kalulu injury blow for Juventus against Benfica

Charles De Ketelaere of Atalanta BC is challenged by Pierre Kalulu of Juventus FC during the Serie A match between Atalanta and Juventus at Gewiss Stadium on January 14, 2025 in Bergamo, Italy. (Photo by Francesco Scaccianoce/Getty Images)

He returned to the pitch for a few seconds before being replaced by Manuel Locatelli shortly afterwards.

Thiago Motta didn’t have another central defender on the bench, so he picked the Italian midfielder, who has already played as a centre-back this term.

However, Juventus conceded just a few seconds after Kalulu’s substitution as Federico Gatti failed to intercept a long pass, and Locatelli was caught off position, allowing Alexander Bah to set up Vangelis Pavlidis for an easy goal, all alone in front of Mattia Perin.

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