Federico Gatti could miss Juventus opener after fan collision in friendly

Federico Gatti could miss Juventus’ opening Serie A match after suffering an ankle injury when a supporter accidentally collided with him during a pitch invasion at a friendly match.

The Juventus defender was hurt after half-time in the traditional pre-season meeting between the club’s first team and their reserve side. His involvement against Frosinone in the opening game of the league campaign is now considered highly unlikely, according to Mundo Deportivo.

The incident happened after the referee had signalled the end of the first half. Gatti had remained on the pitch to acknowledge the supporters in the stands, joining in the celebrations before returning to the dressing room.

As the Italy defender greeted the crowd, several fans climbed over the barriers behind him and entered the field without Gatti appearing to notice.

The first supporter to reach the pitch tried to stop, but lost his footing on the grass. He slid into Gatti from behind, sending the defender to the ground and leaving him with an ankle problem.

This is crazy 😭Federico Gatti could miss Juventus’ first game of the season after a fan accidentally tackled him from behind during a pitch invasion in a friendly this week.You genuinely can’t make this up.📰 CorSportpic.twitter.com/of29ha91zv

Rather than continuing to celebrate with the fans, Gatti was forced to leave the scene showing the effects of the collision. The unusual accident meant the injury was caused neither by an opponent nor by an incident during a competitive phase of the match.

Gatti was unable to take part in Juventus’ training session on Tuesday because of the problem. That absence has cast serious doubt over his availability for the club’s first league fixture against Frosinone.

The setback is particularly inconvenient for Juventus’ coaching staff because Gatti had been preparing normally for the beginning of the season. His condition has instead become an unexpected concern as a result of an incident entirely outside the usual action of a football match.

The accident has also prompted questions within Juventus about how the club’s customary friendly against its reserve team is organised. The fixture is normally staged as a celebratory occasion, giving supporters an opportunity to get closer to the players and mark the start of a new campaign.

However, pitch invasions have occurred on more than one occasion during the event and have previously created problems. Gatti’s injury has brought the risks of allowing fans onto the field into sharper focus.

For Juventus, the incident has turned a moment intended to build excitement before the new season into a potential selection issue. The club may now have to consider changing the format or security arrangements surrounding the friendly to prevent a similar occurrence.

What began as a harmless post-half-time celebration ended with one of the first team’s defenders injured and facing a race against time to recover for the opening weekend of Serie A. Fans can discuss the story and other football news in greater depth on Kooora forums.