Serie A | Juventus 1-1 Sassuolo: Old Lady stall despite whooping cough crisis

Juventus stumbled to a 1-1 draw against a resilient Sassuolo side, severely weakened by a whooping cough outbreak, in a Serie A clash where Manuel Locatelli's late penalty miss proved costly for the Bianconeri.

The Bianconeri were eager to cement their Champions League qualification hopes, coming off a 3-3 draw against Roma and two recent victories. Their attack featured Jeremie Boga, Kenan Yildiz, and Francisco Conceicao from the start, with Dusan Vlahovic making a welcome return to the bench after a four-month injury layoff. In stark contrast, Sassuolo arrived decimated by a widespread whooping cough epidemic that ruled out key players like Nemanja Matic, Kristian Thorstvedt, Woyo Coulibaly, and Stefano Turati. They also contend with several other injured squad members, including Fali Candé, Alieu Fadera, Daniel Boloca, and Edoardo Pieragnolo, following consecutive defeats to Lazio and Bologna.

The match began with early opportunities for Juventus, as Manuel Locatelli had a free header from a corner and Francisco Conceicao's volley was blocked. Juventus soon took the lead in the 14th minute with a direct play: Mattia Perin's long ball found Conceicao on the right, who cut inside and laid it off for Kenan Yildiz to slot into the bottom corner from the edge of the box, marking his 10th Serie A goal of the season.

Juventus continued to press, with Khephren Thuram testing Arijanet Muric and Yildiz forcing another save. Sassuolo, however, also showed intent, as Andrea Pinamonti nodded over from point-blank range following a corner flick-on. Conceicao then set up Pierre Kalulu, whose shot sailed just wide of the far bottom corner. On the cusp of half-time, a crucial toe deflection from Lloyd Kelly prevented Ulisses Garcia from tapping in a Domenico Berardi cross.

Sassuolo found their equalizer in the 52nd minute with a well-worked move: Cristian Volpato released Berardi down the right, and this time Pinamonti was perfectly positioned to slot home from close range, getting ahead of Gleison Bremer. The goal injected renewed energy into the visitors.

Juventus pushed for a winner, with Boga testing Muric from distance and Koopmeiners having a shot deflected over. Muric then produced a sensational reaction save to deny Boga's free header at the far post. The game saw emotional returns for Dusan Vlahovic and Arkadiusz Milik, both making their first competitive appearances in months (Vlahovic since November 2025, Milik since May 2024).

Vlahovic made an immediate impact, as his header struck Jay Idzes' arm in the area, leading to a VAR-awarded penalty for Juventus in the 87th minute. However, Manuel Locatelli stepped up and his subsequent spot-kick was weak and central, easily smothered by Muric. This marked the third consecutive penalty that Juventus had failed to convert in Serie A.

Idzes quickly redeemed himself with a crucial clearance to prevent Vlahovic from tapping in a Kalulu cross. Muric made yet another desperate save from Milik's towering header and Vlahovic's follow-up attempt. In deep stoppage time, Kenan Yildiz fired over from a difficult angle with his left foot, confirming Juventus' frustrating draw.

Final Score: Juventus 1-1 Sassuolo

• Kenan Yildiz 14' (J)
• Andrea Pinamonti 52' (S)

Missed Penalty: Manuel Locatelli 87' (J)