Real reason behind Koopmeiners’ struggles against Milan revealed | OneFootball

A report in the Italian media reveals that Juventus midfielder Teun Koopmeiners took the pitch against Milan despite being ill.

The Biancconeri clashed heads with their old rivals on Saturday evening at San Siro. But unlike their previous visit to Milano which ended with a breathtaking 4-4 draw against Inter, this one turned out to be a dull stalemate with very few chances on either end of the pitch.

Thiago Motta had to do without his two strikers Dusan Vlahovic and Arkadiusz Milik who are both carrying injuries. Therefore, Koopmeiners and Weston McKennie shared the attacking duties upfront. And while Juventus looked solid at the back, their inability to create chances in attack was plain to see.

Moreover, Koopmeiners was specifically chastised for his display, receiving ratings between 5 and 5.5/10. An Italian newspaper went on to describe him as a distant relative of the player who enlightened Bergamo over the past few years.

The Dutchman found it hard to control the ball, squandering possession on several occasions with a weak first touch.

However, Tuttosport has now revealed the actual reason behind this feeble display.

(Photo by Valerio Pennicino/Getty Images)

The Turin-based newspaper claims that the 26-year-old was suffering from a fever. He had a body temperature of 38°C, which explains why he seemed out of sorts.

Despite his rough condition, Koopmeiners insisted on taking part in the match as he felt his team needs his presence, especially amidst the attacking injury crisis.

In hindsight, one might say that Juventus would have been better off with an alternative option, like Timothy Weah, but the Netherlands international’s resiliency remains admirable.

Koopmeiners completed a transfer worth 60 million euros from Atalanta to Juventus following a long and exhausting summer transfer saga.

However, he has yet to hit stride in Turin, and is still searching for his maiden goal in black and white colors.