Juventus arrive at the Unipol Domus on Sunday in a moment that demands clarity. Sitting seventh in Serie A with ten points from five games, they are level with Napoli and Como but carry the weight of a congested schedule and a squad stretched thin by injuries. The absences of Yildiz, Locatelli, Thuram, Boga, Ekhtaor and Grabara have forced Spalletti into constant improvisation, and the international break has done little to ease those concerns, with Zeki Celik playing all four of Turkey's Nations League fixtures and potentially needing rest.

The most significant squad story heading into Cagliari is the midfield. Pape Sarr, signed late in the summer window after Franck Kessie chose Atalanta, has climbed the pecking order quickly and is set to start alongside Douglas Luiz. Koopmeiners, by contrast, remains on the fringes despite staying at the club through the summer for lack of offers. The Dutchman scored with the Netherlands during the break but finds himself last in the midfield queue at Juventus.

Upfront, Spalletti has been clear about his preference. Randal Kolo Muani is the designated starter, though the manager used his pre-match press conference to push the Frenchman to move more and act less like a static centre-forward. Andrea Cambiaso is also in line for a rare start, with Nico Gonzalez, who recently signed a contract extension, expected to feature on the opposite flank.