Juventus Hit With Major Injury Concern Ahead Of Inter Milan Clash As Portuguese Star Withdraws From International Duty

Juventus have been dealt a major blow ahead of their Serie A clash against Inter, as Francisco Conceicao has withdrawn from the Portugal squad through injury.

Francisco Conceicao Injury News

The Portuguese international has been forced to leave Roberto Martinez’s squad after suffering a muscular injury in a training session with his international teammates.

Conceicao did not feature in Portugal’s 5-0 victory over Armenia and will not be in the matchday squad for the country’s upcoming clash against Hungary.

The 22-year-old has already left the Portuguese training camp and is expected to return to Turin in the coming days, as Juventus look into the injury further.

Igor Tudor will be extremely disappointed with this news as Conceicao has started in both of Juve’s matches so far, helping the Old Lady win both of their Serie A encounters so far.

Supporters will be hoping for a speedy recovery, especially after Juventus found out their Champions League opponents as the Bianconeri face Borussia Dortmund, Benfica, Sporting, Pafos, Real Madrid, Villarreal, Bodo/Glimt and Monaco.

However, before Juve can focus on their European opponents, Tudor’s side will prepare for their upcoming league clash as they face Inter Milan in what could be a title-decider.

Cristian Chivu’s side kicked off the season with a 5-0 victory over Torino but suffered a set-back in their latest league encounter, as the Nerazzurri were beaten 2-1 by Udinese at the San Siro.

Both teams will need to pick-up all three-points in Turin on September 13th to keep up with Napoli and Juventus will be hoping to see Francisco Conceicao on matchday.

How Long Will Francisco Conceicao Be Out For?

The 22-year-old reportedly felt some discomfort in the build-up to Portugual’s clash against Hungary, however, an exact return date is yet to be revealed.

A spokesperson from the Portuguese national side released a statement on Francisco Conceicao’s injury following his departure from the camp in Budapest.

The statement read: “Francisco Conceicao was dismissed from the national team training camp in Budapest this afternoon. The player had muscular discomfort and was declared unfit for the game against Hungary by the FPF Health and Performance director.”

Conceicao will now undertake various tests with Juve ahead of their clash against Juventus, but early reports indicate that he will not be available for selection.

The Bianconeri have also been involved in another major talking point during the international break, as Dusan Vlahovic may be signing a new deal with Juventus.

The Serbian was heavily linked with an exit during the summer transfer window, but after scoring in both of Juve’s league matches, Tudor decided to keep a hold of the prolific goal-scorer.

Both Vlahovic and Conceicao would be likely to feature against Inter if they’re both fit, but the latter will need to pass a late fitness test before September 13th.