Juventus youngster Samuel Mbangula could be ruled out of Saturday’s Serie A contest against Lecce due to a muscle problem.
The Belgian was one of the club’s breakout stars at the end of the season. He managed to convince Thiago Motta during pre-season, thus earning himself a promotion to the first team.
The winger was a surprise addition to the starting lineup on the opening day of the season against Como. Nevertheless, he swiftly justified his selection by scoring a wonderful opener.
Despite his early exploits, Mbangula’s playing time decreased as the season progressed. And since Motta’s departure, he hasn’t earned any minutes, as Igor Tudor opted for other choices in his first two matches in charge.
Many believe the young winger will struggle to find any space in the Croatian’s 3-4-2-1 formation which doesn’t quite suit his attributes.
But if the Belgian was hoping to prove otherwise against Lecce, a physical problem could hinder his plans.
According to La Gazzetta dello Sport via JuventusNews24, Mbangula suffered a muscle overload in his right thigh during Wednesday’s training session. Therefore, he now risks missing Saturday’s contest against Lecce.
The winger’s condition will be closely monitored over the next few days before taking a definitive decision on the matter.
But in any case, this isn’t the sort of absence that would give Tudor sleepless nights, as Mbangula is arguably at the bottom of the pecking order.
Even prior to Motta’s departure, the Belgium U21 starlet had been identified as one of the profiles who would likely be sacrificed at the end of the season. And with the Italian Brazilian manager now out of the door, the young man’s fate has probably been sealed.
Mbangula’s contract with Juventus is valid until June 2028, and his current valuation is around 15 million euros.
