Juventus bagged their first pre-season W, a tight 1-0 road victory against Standard Liege in Belgium, and it was Fabio Miretti absolutely ripping the ball into the net for the only goal of the game. This was the second pre-season test for Luciano Spalletti’s squad, following a 0-0 draw against Basel last weekend. Talk about getting off the mark!
No Stars? No Problem! The Kids Are Here to Play
Let’s be real: Spalletti was without a ton of his key first-team guys, who are still soaking up rays on holiday after the 2026 World Cup. We’re talking no Gleison Bremer, no Weston McKennie, no Francisco Conceicao, and no Jonathan David. Plus, Khephren Thuram and Kenan Yildiz are still working their way back to full fitness. That meant it was an awesome chance for the young blood, and man, did they step up. Lois Openda, the only senior centre-forward available, was benched with a loan to Lyon on the horizon, opening the door wide for 18-year-old striker Arman Durmisi to start. He was flanked by Vasilije Adzic and Jeremie Boga in attack, with Manuel Locatelli and Douglas Luiz anchoring the midfield. What a mix of new faces and veteran presence, right?
Miretti’s Magic After the Break
Standard Liege came out swinging, putting immediate pressure on Juve’s penalty area. They had their first real shot after 10 minutes, with Gustav Mortensen crossing to Timothe Nkada, who couldn’t quite finish it. Then, after 22 minutes, an error from Andrea Cambiaso nearly cost us, but Federico Gatti came up huge with a vital block on Alexis Trouillet’s shot. Locatelli and Douglas Luiz both sent shots over the bar, and the first half kinda petered out.
But Spalletti clearly lit a fire at halftime, making several changes and shifting formations from a 3-4-2-1 to a 4-2-3-1. Mattia Perin, Zeki Celik, Joao Mario, Arthur Melo, Fabio Miretti, and Justin Oboavwoduo all got introduced. And it paid off big time! Just 10 minutes into the second half, Miretti slammed home that powerfully-driven free-kick from the edge of the box. He almost had a quick-fire brace right after, but he was off-balance, and Ibe Hautekiet got a late block. Still, the goal was enough, securing that 1-0 win.
This pre-season is all about seeing who steps up, and Miretti, along with the other youngsters, showed they are ready. With more pre-season tests coming up before the full squad is back, every minute on the pitch is a chance to solidify a spot and show Spalletti what they can do. Keep an eye on these young guys; they’re making a strong case!
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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