Juventus have hit their first real turbulence of the 2026/27 season after a painful 3-2 defeat at Sassuolo dropped them to eighth in Serie A, level on seven points with the teams around them but stripped of the momentum they had built across the opening three rounds. The loss was sealed in the final seconds by Vasilije Adzic, a player Juventus own and sent to Sassuolo on loan, making the result doubly difficult to process. Edon Zhegrova came off the bench to score twice and drag the visitors level, but the side could not hold on.

The defeat has sharpened existing concerns about the squad. The midfield remains badly disrupted, with both Manuel Locatelli and Khephren Thuram sidelined through injury for an extended period. Teun Koopmeiners and Douglas Luiz, neither of whom has consistently delivered since joining, are now the first-choice options in the middle of the pitch. Pape Sarr, signed late in the transfer window, is working his way back from a physical problem and may offer some relief. Up front, Randal Kolo Muani and Nick Woltemade have yet to contribute goals, and the attack as a whole looks short of cohesion.

Manager Luciano Spalletti faces questions about his tactical approach, though club director Giovanni Carnevali moved quickly to reaffirm his confidence in the coach. Juventus now turn to Europe, hosting NEC Nijmegen in their Europa League opener on Wednesday, a fixture that offers an early opportunity to reset.