TURIN, ITALY – SEPTEMBER 21: Gleison Bremer of Juventus looks on during the Serie A match between Juventus and Napoli at Allianz Stadium on September 21, 2024 in Turin, Italy. (Photo by Daniele Badolato – Juventus FC/Juventus FC via Getty Images)
Juventus FC via Getty Images
Juventus have suffered a massive blow this week with the news that star defender Gleison Bremer is out for a couple of months with a knee injury.
The Brazilian defender had started the season in great form after missing the vast majority of last year due to tearing his ACL against RB Leipzig in a Champions League encounter.
Bremer’s injury was viewed by many as a turning point in Juve’s season, with the solidity the Brazilian offered gone in the aftermath of his injury.
Bremer had featured in four of Juve’s league games so far this season, even providing two assists. He also started in the pulsating 4-4 draw against Borussia Dortmund in mid-September.
The former Torino man was at the heart of the Bianconeri defense in Igor Tudor’s 3-4-2-1 system, with Pierre Kalulu and Lloyd Kelly either side.
Mindful of his injury last season, Juve’s medical team had advised Tudor to rest Bremer intermittently, and the Croatian had, to his credit, done so.
The news arrived yesterday that the 28-year-old will indeed be out for an extended period after tearing the meniscus in the same knee.
“This morning in Lyon, Gleison Bremer underwent a medical consultation with Dr. Sonnery-Cottet, who diagnosed him with a torn medial meniscus in his left knee,” a statement from Juventus read.
“In the next few hours the player will undergo selective arthroscopic meniscectomy.”
While the injury isn’t to the serious extent of last year’s season-ending one, there is concern the Brazilian will never be reliable week in and week out ever again.
Bremer is expected to be out of action until the middle or late November, and Daniele Rugani will have to step in to replace him.
It’s also been reported that Juve might look at strengthening the back line in the January transfer window, with Fenerbahce centre back Milan Skriniar and Bayern Munich’s Kim-Min Jae in the frame.
Moreover, with only three fit centre backs, it means Tudor might shift formation to mask the weakness at the back and to not run the risk of losing another defender to injury, with Juan Cabal also out once again.
This, in itself, might not be a bad option considering there had been calls to alter the system due to the players at his disposal.
Tudor now has a wealth of options in attack, and has been struggling to maximise the talent within the squad.
Shifting to a 4-2-3-1 or 4-3-2-1 may be the best course of action.
It remains to be seen how sturdy Juve’s rearguard will be without Bremer. Kelly has improved since arriving in January, but a back line of the Englishman, Kalulu and Rugani hardly inspires confidence.
Min-Jae could be an ideal target, considering his Serie A experience with Napoli and the fact that Juve could facilitate a loan deal with the Germany giants.
Skriniar, meanwhile, also has years of Serie A experience and at just 30, could prove valuable to in the short term.
As for Bremer, there will be serious question marks over his fitness going forward and whether he can maintain his health over the course of a season.