Gleison Bremer and Khephren Thuram left out of Juventus squad for Perth friendly against Palermo
Juventus faced Palermo in a pre-season friendly at Perth Stadium in Australia on Tuesday, August 11, in which defenders Gleison Bremer and midfielder Khephren Thuram did not feature. The absences were noted after Luciano Spalletti named his matchday squad for the penultimate warm-up before the Serie A 2026-27 season begins on August 22.
Spalletti selected a strong starting lineup to test his preferred XI against the Italian second-division visitors, with most of the club’s prominent names either starting or listed among substitutes. The match in Perth served as Juventus’ penultimate preparation ahead of the league opener on August 22, prompting cautious management of player workloads. Despite the high-profile roster, two notable first-team players were omitted from the teamsheet.
Neither Bremer nor Thuram appeared in the starting XI or among the substitutes for the Perth friendly. Instead, Spalletti fielded a three-man defence of Zeki Celik, Federico Gatti and Juan Cabral. That defensive choice formed the backbone of Juventus’ lineup for the match.
Juventus’ midfield selection featured West McKennie, Teun Koopmeiners and David Luiz in a three-man unit, with Kerim Alajbegovic deployed in a more advanced position. Those selections reflected Spalletti’s approach to shaping the side’s structure during the friendly. The coach used the match to assess specific tactical combinations ahead of the season.
Both Bremer and Thuram were excluded from the squad because of ongoing fitness issues. Media reports clarified that Bremer is not injured but was left out as a precautionary measure. The club rested him in a bid to have him at 100% for the start of the league campaign.
Khephren Thuram returned from the season break carrying a knee injury and has taken longer than expected to recover, meaning he has not played a single minute in Juventus’ pre-season. Thuram was not part of France’s FIFA World Cup 2026 squad. It remains to be seen whether Thuram is fit enough to appear at the start of the season.
Juventus begin their Serie A campaign on August 22, with Bremer rested specifically to ensure full fitness for that opener, while Thuram’s participation in the early fixtures will depend on his recovery and fitness status.
