Spalletti’s suspension adds pressure as Juventus face unbeaten Lazio

Juventus need a response to their draw with Cagliari, but Luciano Spalletti will have to watch their clash with Lazio from the stands after his red card. The challenge is clear in the table: Juventus are seventh on 11 points, five behind third-placed Lazio, who have won five of their first six league matches and remain unbeaten.

Calciomercato.com lists assistant Marco Domenichini to take Spalletti’s place on the Juventus bench. That leaves Juventus without their head coach on the touchline in a game where another dropped result would make it harder to close the gap on Lazio.

The outlet expects Nico González and Randal Kolo Muani to lead the attack, with Francisco Conceição among the substitutes. Its predicted Lazio front three is Gustav Isaksen, Tijjani Noslin and Mattia Zaccagni, with Gennaro Gattuso in charge. These are projected line-ups, not confirmed teams.

Juventus also have six players listed as unavailable, including Kenan Yıldız, Manuel Locatelli and Khéphren Thuram. The absences add to the selection challenge, while Spalletti’s suspension means Domenichini is expected to oversee the team from the bench.

Lazio arrive with the stronger league position and an unbeaten start; Juventus are trying to turn a draw into a result that keeps them within reach. The match is scheduled for Sunday, 18 October, at 20:45 CEST. For Juventus, the stakes are not just about recovering points after Cagliari: they face a direct test against a side already five points ahead, without their coach on the touchline.