Juventus hit by fresh Juan Cabal injury setback

The Colombian international was forced off after just 15 minutes of Wednesday night's Champions League clash against Villarreal, with tests on Thursday confirming a "moderate-grade injury" to the biceps femoris muscle in his right thigh.

"Juventus Men's First Team player Juan Cabal, who came off during the first half of Wednesday night's Champions League match against Villarreal, underwent diagnostic tests this morning at J-Medical," the club said in a statement.

"Those tests revealed a moderate-grade injury to the biceps femoris muscle in his right thigh. He will undergo further tests in two weeks to more precisely determine the recovery timeline."

According to Gazzetta dello Sport, the 24-year-old is expected to be sidelined for around six weeks, with Juventus hopeful he could make his return at the end of November in the Serie A away trip to Fiorentina.

The setback comes just as Cabal had returned from a long spell on the sidelines after suffering a cruciate ligament injury last year. His progress had been encouraging, with the defender scoring his first goal for Juventus only last week in the 1-1 draw against Atalanta at the Allianz Stadium.

Cabal, who joined the Bianconeri from Verona in the summer of 2024 in a deal worth 12.8 million euros, has shown promising form in Turin despite his injury troubles. He is under contract with the club until June 2029.

Juventus will now be forced to adapt without him during a crucial run of fixtures in Serie A and Europe, with manager Igor Tudor already managing limited defensive options.