Juventus’s Champions League aspirations took a hit after a 1-1 home draw against Sassuolo, a match marred by Manuel Locatelli’s crucial penalty miss. Coach Luciano Spalletti later confirmed that Kenan Yildiz had initially wanted to take the spot-kick, but Locatelli, as the designated taker, was given the responsibility. This marked Juventus’s third consecutive penalty failure.
The draw significantly hampered the Bianconeri’s chances of securing a top-four finish and Champions League qualification.
The game saw Kenan Yildiz open the scoring, only for Andrea Pinamonti to equalize. The late penalty opportunity arose when Dusan Vlahovic’s header struck Jay Idzes’ arm.
Behind the Penalty Decision
During the VAR review for the penalty, cameras likely missed the tense discussion on the field. Yildiz was reportedly keen to take the shot, positioning himself near the spot.
However, Spalletti intervened, calling Locatelli to the sideline for a brief discussion before the midfielder relayed the decision to Yildiz: Locatelli would take it.
The decision proved costly as Locatelli’s soft, central shot was comfortably saved by Sassuolo’s goalkeeper, Arijanet Muric.
Post-match, Spalletti told DAZN Italia, “Locatelli came over and told me he felt ready to take it. There were two or three players who wanted to step up, but Locatelli is the designated taker. It’s fine, anyone can miss a penalty, we are just disappointed about not bringing home the victory.”
This miss represents Juventus’s third consecutive failure from the penalty spot in Serie A, each taken by a different player.
Previously, Jonathan David missed a penalty in a draw against Lecce, and Kenan Yildiz had his attempt saved in a 5-0 victory over Cremonese.
This season, the Bianconeri have been awarded seven Serie A penalties, converting four of them.
While Locatelli has the best conversion rate among current takers (two out of three), Kenan Yildiz has a 50% success rate. Dusan Vlahovic scored his only attempt this season, returning from injury.
