Midfield boost for Juventus as Alcaraz could return for crucial fixture

Juventus midfielder Carlos Alcaraz could return to action slightly sooner than expected.

The 21-year-old joined the club in January, completing a loan switch from Southampton.

After making three appearances as a substitute, the Argentine made his full Juventus debut in the 1-2 defeat at the hands of Napoli.

The youngster then picked up a hamstring injury, ruling him out of the fixtures against Atalanta and Genoa, both ending in draws.

But according to La Gazzetta dello Sport via JuventusNews24, the midfielder’s condition is improving, and could be set to make his return to the pitch soon enough.

The pink newspaper believes Alcaraz could be available at Max Allegri’s disposal for the first-leg clash against Lazio in the Coppa Italia semi-final.

The encounter will take place at the Allianz Stadium in Turin on Tuesday the 2nd of April.

The two sides will clash heads in a league fixture just three days earlier at the Olimpico Stadium. However, Alcaraz is unlikely to be fit in time for this one.

Nevertheless, a return for the cup tie would be a significant boost for Allegri’s ranks.

The Bianconeri now consider the Coppa Italia as an important objective, as winning the tournament would yield the club’s first trophy in three years.

For his part, Alcaraz will be eager to prove his worth in the final stretch of the season.

The Italian giants have the option to buy him in the summer for 50 million euros, but they certainly don’t intend to meet this hefty figure.