Strong Juventus side defeated 1-0 by Cremonese in training ground friendly
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Juventus fielded a strong lineup but lost 1-0 to Cremonese in a behind-closed-doors training ground friendly.
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Attributed to original sourceA strong Juventus side featuring the likes of Gleison Bremer, Weston McKennie and Randal Kolo Muani were defeated 1-0 in a training ground friendly against Serie B outfit Cremonese on Friday afternoon.
The Bianconeri arranged a friendly at Continassa to give minutes to their first-team players who are not involved in the extra-long September-October international break, as well as to some making their returns from injury, including Andrea Cambiaso.
The Juventus squad for Friday’s friendly against Cremonese went without the called-up Zeki Celik, Francisco Conceicao, Teun Koopmeiners, Douglas Luiz, Kerim Alajbegovic, Jhon Lucumi, Guglielmo Vicario, Nico Gonzalez, Pape Matar Sarr or Nick Woltemade.
OSLO, NORWAY – SEPTEMBER 27: Francisco Conceicao of Portugal is helped off the pitch by medical staff after sustaining an injury during the UEFA Nations League 2026/27 group phase match between Norway and Portugal at Ullevaal Stadion on September 27, 2026 in Oslo, Norway. (Photo by Marius Nordnes / Nordnes Foto/Getty Images) The Bianconeri are still missing several first-team players through injury, including Kenan Yildiz, Khephren Thuram, Manuel Locatelli, Jeff Ekhator, Juan Cabal and Kamil Grabara.
There were still several first-team regulars in Luciano Spalletti’s starting XI for Friday’s friendly against Cremonese though, including a relatively strong back four of Federico Gatti, Bremer, Daniele Rugani and Lloyd Kelly. Veteran Carlo Pinsoglio started in goal as new recruit Neto works on his fitness and match sharpness.
McKennie started the game in midfield along with the returning Cambiaso, who played centrally, just in front of the defence according to Juventus’s post-match report . They were joined by 19-year-old Next Gen midfielder Grady Makiobo.
Randal Kolo Muani dribbles with the ball as Juventus are defeated 1-0 by Cremonese in a training ground friendly at Continassa on October 2, 2026 (picture via www.juventus.com) Randal Kolo Muani led the line, accompanied by 21-year-old Luca Amaradio and 19-year-old Josue Grelaud.
It was the visiting Cremonese side who took the lead after 12 minutes in Turin: Federico Bonazzoli applying the finishing touches within the penalty area after a neat attacking move that flowed through Giuseppe Pezzella, Salvatore Elia and Adin Licina, who is on loan from Juventus.
Bonazzoli #GrigiorossiSempre #Cremonese #JuventusCremonese pic.twitter.com/1RMuytqrAs
— U.S. Cremonese (@USCremonese) October 2, 2026
Spalletti made wholesale changes at the interval, giving opportunities to a number of the Next Gen players that were available on the substitutes bench, including Davide Marchisio, son of former Bianconeri star and Italy international Claudio Marchisio. Alfonso Montero, son of Paolo Montero, was also involved.
International break friendly: Juventus 0-1 Cremonese Bonazzoli 12’.
Starting line-ups Carlo Pinsoglio makes a save as Juventus are defeated 1-0 by Cremonese in a training ground friendly at Continassa on October 2, 2026 (picture via www.juventus.com) Juventus: Pinsoglio; Gatti, Bremer, Rugani, Kelly; McKennie, Cambiaso, Makiobo; Amaradio, Grelaud; Kolo Muani.
Subs: Radu, Mangiapoco, Rizzo, Durmisi, Corigliano, Montero, Brancato, Ripani, Marchisio, Savio, Corradi, Guerra.
Cremonese: Agazzi; Pezzella, Barbieri, Luperto, Baschirotto, Licina, Gerli, Collocolo, Grassi, Elia, Bonazzoli.
Subs: TBC.
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What happened
Juventus suffered a 1-0 defeat against Serie B side Cremonese in a training ground friendly at their training facility. Despite naming a strong squad for the warm-up exercise, Juventus were unable to break down their opponents. Cremonese, newly promoted or pushing for promotion in Serie B, took advantage to claim a morale-boosting result. Training ground friendlies are typically low-stakes and used primarily for fitness and tactical conditioning, with results carrying limited competitive significance.
Chance analysis
Training ground friendlies rarely carry competitive weight, and the result should be read as a fitness exercise rather than a form indicator. For Cremonese, however, beating a full-strength Juventus side — even in a closed-doors setting — is a confidence-building result that reinforces the gap between ambition and current division. Juventus will likely draw more from the minutes accumulated by key players than from the scoreline, with pre-season or in-season conditioning the real objective.
Minimal impact on either team; Juventus fitness conditioning likely more valuable than the scoreline, while Cremonese gain a confidence boost.