Mateta returns to Juventus first team after Conference League heroics

Jean-Philippe Mateta returned to Juventus’s first team for their Serie A match against ACF Fiorentina on Sunday.

Mateta, who scored twice in the UEFA Europa Conference League final against AC Milan, started on the bench against Fiorentina before replacing Fabio Mirelli in the 72nd minute.

Juventus lost 2-1 to Fiorentina, with Arthur Cabral scoring the winner in the 86th minute for the home side. Wojciech Szczesny made two saves to keep Juventus in the game.

Mateta’s involvement follows his redemptive goals in the Conference League final, where he ended a 15-game scoreless streak. Juventus defeated AC Milan 1-0 on May 29 in Athens.

Manager Massimiliano Allegri praised Mateta’s mentality and work rate during the post-match press conference. The forward has now featured in back-to-back Serie A matches for the first time since January.

Allegri faces a decision on whether to start Mateta in Wednesday’s Serie A clash against Atalanta BC, with injuries to Arkadiusz Milik and Dušan Vlahović still affecting squad selection.