Koopmeiners’ New Role at Juventus: Implications for Yildiz, Thuram, and Locatelli

Teun Koopmeiners is set to debut in a new position for Juventus in tonight’s Coppa Italia match against Cagliari. After a challenging adaptation period, the Dutch midfielder will be deployed in a deeper role as part of Thiago Motta’s tactical adjustments.

In the 4-2-3-1 formation, Koopmeiners is expected to play as one of the two defensive midfielders. This shift allows Kenan Yildiz to occupy the attacking midfield position behind Dusan Vlahovic, with Francisco Conceicao and Samuel Mbangula on the wings. Other notable changes include Manuel Locatelli at center-back and Weston McKennie at left-back.

This positional change for Koopmeiners could become a regular feature. His performance at Juventus (17 games, 1 goal, 2 assists) has been underwhelming compared to his Atalanta days. Playing deeper might allow him to influence the game more, facing the play and making forward runs.

If this experiment proves successful, it could lead to difficult decisions for Motta. Koopmeiners’ permanent move to defensive midfield would likely result in either Locatelli or Thuram, both key players this season, being relegated to the bench.

The match against Cagliari will provide insights into how these tactical changes affect Juventus’ play and individual performances.