Juventus are under pressure after a painful 3-2 defeat at Sassuolo on matchday four left Luciano Spalletti's side sitting eighth in Serie A and facing serious questions about the squad's depth and tactical identity. The loss, sealed by a last-minute goal from on-loan midfielder Vasilije Adzic, exposed problems that have followed the club across seasons: strikers who do not score, a midfield missing its key figures, and a defensive fragility that punishes any forward commitment late in games.

The absence of both Manuel Locatelli and Khephren Thuram through injury has stripped the midfield of its intended starters, and the attacking options have not provided cover. Randal Kolo Muani and Nick Woltemade both struggled at the Mapei Stadium, while Edon Zhegrova, who came off the bench to score twice, remains outside the UEFA Europa League squad and cannot be called upon in Europe. Spalletti has acknowledged the squad's limitations and is considering a formation change, with a back three among the options being assessed ahead of the European campaign.

Giovanni Carnevali has moved to dismiss speculation linking Antonio Conte with the job, publicly backing Spalletti to turn the situation around. The immediate focus is Thursday's Europa League home fixture against NEC Nijmegen, a side that has taken just one point from their last three Eredivisie matches. It is an opportunity Juventus cannot afford to waste.