Federico Bernardeschi Could Miss Rest of the Season After Reports Juventus Star Requires Surgery

Federico Bernardeschi's latest injury could be worse than initially feared after it was reported that the Juventus winger could require surgery. 

Bernardeschi picked up a knee injury in the Derby della Mole victory over Torino earlier in the month. The initial prognosis feared for Bernardeschi's immediate fitness after it was confirmed that he would miss Juventus' crucial second-leg tie against Tottenham Hotspur in the Champions League round of 16 at the beginning of next month. 

If reports from Gazzetta dello Sport (via Football Italia) are to be believed, the knee ligament damage that the 24-year-old has sustained could rule him out for the rest of the season. 

Juventus are having to contend with a number of injuries to key players heading into the crucial latter stages of the season. The Old Lady remain second in Serie A, a point behind leaders Napoli. They will also need a win over Spurs to ensure they progress to the quarter-finals of the Champions League after conceding two away goals.

Gonzalo Higuain, who scored twice in their draw with Spurs, also picked up a knock during the game against Torino. While the striker will be expected to recover quickly, Paulo Dybala has himself just come back from injury and may be rushed back into the starting eleven to cover for the fellow Argentine. 

Meanwhile, Juan Cuadrado has not featured for Juventus in 2018 due to a groin problem and is not expected to return until March. Right-back Mattia De Sciglio is also sidelined with a hamstring injury. 

These latest bouts of injuries could leave manager Massimiliano Allegri short-staffed for the immediate future. And after initally expecting Bernadeschi to return in around 20 days, this news could be a big blow to a crucial end of the season for the Old Lady.