Juventus Falls 3-0 to FC Nürnberg in Pre-Season Opener

Juventus faced a tough start to their pre-season as they lost 3-0 to FC Nürnberg in their first friendly match under the new coach, Thiago Motta. The game took place on Friday, and it highlighted some challenges the team is facing as they prepare for the upcoming season.

FC Nürnberg, a team from Germany’s 2. Bundesliga and managed by former striker Miroslav Klose, managed to secure a clear victory. Juventus fielded a squad that was missing many of its key players, which may have contributed to the lopsided scoreline.

Thiago Motta decided to start with players who had been training with him throughout the pre-season, leaving some of the squad members who returned from holiday after the Euros, including star striker Dusan Vlahovic, on the bench initially.

The match began with FC Nürnberg scoring the first goal in the 19th minute, thanks to Jander. Juventus had a chance to equalize when Luis Hasa took a free kick in the first half, but his attempt was saved by Jan Reichert.

In the second half, Motta made several substitutions, bringing in Vlahovic, Andrea Cambiaso, Federico Gatti, Nicolò Fagioli, and Timothy Weah. Vlahovic had a chance to score from a penalty kick earned by Weah but unfortunately hit the post instead.

As the match drew to a close, FC Nürnberg extended their lead with goals from Dustin Forkel in the 87th minute and Tim Janisch just two minutes later, finishing the game at 3-0.

The friendly highlights the need for Juventus to find their rhythm and for Motta to integrate the returning players effectively as they prepare for their upcoming matches this season.