Locatelli: ‘I am distraught and hurts knowing I cannot fight for Juventus’

Manuel Locatelli admits he’s ‘distraught’ after undergoing knee surgery with reports he could be out for five to six months. ‘It hurts knowing I won’t be able to fight for Juventus.’

The midfielder sustained a knee injury during the 1-1 draw with Milan on Sunday, and tests showed he had suffered meniscus damage.

It required an operation, which was performed today in Lyon, and Sky Sport Italia suggest he could be out of action for as much as five to six months, significantly more than the three that had been previously mentioned.

Long lay-off for Locatelli

Locatelli took to social media and his Instagram account to express his frustration at this development.

“I won’t lie, I won’t use cliches here, I am distraught. I finished the game the other night and never expected to be hit by all this the next morning,” wrote the Italy international.

“The operation went well, and that is very important. Now I will have to stop for a while, and it hurts knowing that I cannot help my teammates, that I won’t be able to fight for the Juventus shirt along with them.

“It will require patience, but I will work in every way possible to return stronger, as I always have done.

“Life is made up of these moments too, it is up to us to decide how we deal with them. I will fight as always, cultivating every day the desire to get back onto the field as soon as possible.

“Thank you all for your support.”

Locatelli had finished the match at the Allianz Juventus Stadium and there seemed to be no real signs of such a serious injury.

It was not the only blow suffered by the Bianconeri that day, because Jeremie Boga was also diagnosed with a medium grade lesion in his thigh and will be out for approximately five weeks.

Kenan Yildiz, Khephren Thuram and Jeff Ekhator are also long-term absentees, with Weston McKennie, Juan Cabal, Andrea Cambiaso and Pape Matar Sarr also on the treatment table.