Fan pitch invasion leaves Juventus defender Federico Gatti facing fitness race for Serie A opener

Federico Gatti could miss Juventus’ opening Serie A match after being injured by a supporter who ran on to the pitch during a friendly against the club’s reserve side.

The Italy defender suffered an ankle injury in an unusual incident after half-time, when several fans entered the field to celebrate with the players. His availability for Juventus’ first league game against Frosinone is now considered highly doubtful, according to Mundo Deportivo.

Gatti had remained on the pitch after the referee’s whistle to acknowledge supporters in the stands. As he greeted them, a number of fans jumped over the barriers behind him without the defender noticing.

The first supporter to reach the playing surface appeared to try to stop, but lost his balance and slid across the grass. He then collided with Gatti from behind, sending the Juventus defender to the ground.

The impact left Gatti nursing his ankle and brought an abrupt end to what had been a celebratory moment. Rather than continuing to interact with the crowd, he was forced to leave the pitch showing signs of discomfort.

A post shared about the incident said: “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”

Gatti was unable to take part in Juventus training on Tuesday because of the injury. His absence from the club’s opening league fixture against Frosinone is therefore looking increasingly likely.

The setback is a concern for Juventus’ coaching staff because Gatti had been preparing normally for the start of the campaign. His injury was not caused by an incident during competitive play or by contact with an opposing footballer, but by an accident during the post-match celebrations.

The episode has also raised questions within Juventus about the organisation of the club’s traditional friendly against its reserve team. The fixture is normally staged in a festive atmosphere, giving supporters an opportunity to get closer to the players and mark the beginning of the new season.

However, the match has been affected by pitch invasions on more than one occasion, with those incidents previously creating problems. Gatti’s injury has now given Juventus further reason to consider whether the format and security arrangements for the event should be changed.

The Italian club may review the way the fixture is conducted to prevent a repeat of the bizarre scene in which a celebration involving supporters resulted in an injury to a first-team player.

The incident has prompted wider discussion among football supporters, with readers able to debate the story and other news in the Kooora forums.