Juventus Penalty Battle Erupts Between Vlahovic, Yildiz, and Locatelli

The controversy surrounding Juventus' recent penalty miss against Sassuolo continues to unfold, with reports indicating that midfielder Manuel Locatelli took the spot-kick after reportedly overruling teammates Dusan Vlahovic and Kenan Yildiz.

Locatelli's attempt was saved by Sassuolo goalkeeper Arijanet Muric, resulting in a 1-1 draw in the crucial Serie A match. This incident marks Juventus' third consecutive penalty miss in Serie A, with three different players — Locatelli, Kenan Yildiz, and Jonathan David — all failing to convert in recent games.

Manager Addresses Penalty Taker Confusion

Manager Spalletti addressed the situation, confirming to DAZN Italia that Locatelli "came over and told me he felt ready to take it." Spalletti stated, "There were two or three players who wanted to step up, but Locatelli is the designated taker. It’s fine, anyone can miss a penalty; we are just disappointed about not bringing home the victory."

While Yildiz was initially seen holding the ball at the spot, multiple sources suggest it was Dusan Vlahovic who strongly advocated for the opportunity to take the penalty. This request came just minutes into Vlahovic's first appearance since a significant thigh injury sustained in late November 2025. Many observers considered it a high-risk decision to allow the Serbian striker, still regaining match fitness after such a long layoff, to assume such a critical responsibility.

Despite the recent miss, Vlahovic had successfully converted his only penalty attempt this season during a 3-1 victory over Udinese. Locatelli also boasted a previously positive penalty record, having successfully converted both his spot-kicks in the Champions League and Coppa Italia. Furthermore, he scored a vital penalty at the close of last season against Venezia, which was instrumental in securing Champions League qualification for Juventus.