Juventus fans at the Allianz Stadium were left shaking their heads yet again on Saturday, February 21, 2026, as the Bianconeri suffered a stinging 2-0 defeat at home to Como in Serie A. The loss not only extends Juventus’ winless streak to five matches across all competitions but also delivers a heavy blow to their hopes of clinching a Champions League spot for next season. For a club of Juventus’ stature, with its storied history and high expectations, the current slump is raising serious questions about the direction under manager Luciano Spalletti.
The match kicked off at 3 p.m. local time in Turin, with the hosts fielding a 3-4-2-1 formation. Spalletti, hampered by a string of injuries and suspensions, was forced to shuffle his lineup. Pierre Kalulu was absent due to suspension, while key defenders Gleison Bremer and Emil Holm, along with forwards Dusan Vlahovic and Arkadiusz Milik, were sidelined through injury. The starting back line featured Federico Gatti, Lloyd Kelly, and Teun Koopmeiners, while the attacking trio included Kenan Yildiz and Loïs Openda, with Jonathan David’s fitness in question up until the morning of the match.
Juventus actually started brightly, with Yildiz creating an early chance that drew a sharp save from Como’s goalkeeper, Maxime Butez. The Allianz crowd, hoping for a quick response after a tough 5-2 defeat to Galatasaray in the Champions League earlier in the week, found reason for optimism in those opening minutes. But that hope was short-lived. In the 11th minute, Como’s Mergim Vojvoda pounced on a loose ball and fired past Michele Di Gregorio, giving the visitors a shock early lead. According to the Associated Press, the goal came after Juventus’ Weston McKennie lost possession in midfield, a moment that would set the tone for the rest of the afternoon.
"Mergim Vojvoda scored early for Como with a shot that Michele Di Gregorio should have saved after getting his arm to the ball," reported AP, highlighting the sense of missed opportunity and defensive frailty that has plagued Juventus in recent weeks. The home side tried to respond, with Openda testing Butez twice, but the Como goalkeeper stood tall.
As halftime approached, frustration mounted in the stands, with whistles echoing around the stadium. Como nearly doubled their lead just before the break when Lucas Da Cunha rattled the crossbar, but the score remained 1-0 at the interval. Spalletti, under mounting pressure from both fans and the media, made a tactical switch by introducing Francisco Conceicao at the start of the second half, hoping to inject some much-needed creativity into the attack.
Conceicao provided an immediate spark, making a solo run down the right and forcing another save from Butez. Yet, for all their possession and territorial advantage, Juventus could not find a way through Como’s disciplined defensive setup. The visitors, managed by Cesc Fabregas, remained compact and organized, frustrating the home side’s increasingly desperate efforts.
Then came the decisive blow. In the 61st minute, Lucas Da Cunha broke through Juventus’ midfield and set up Maxence Caqueret, who coolly slotted home Como’s second goal. "Lucas da Cunha broke through to set up Maxence Caqueret for Como’s second in the 61st," confirmed AP, capturing the moment that effectively sealed Juventus’ fate. The Bianconeri tried to rally, with Koopmeiners coming close twice—first with a header that flashed just wide, and then with a free kick that struck the post. Jonathan David had a late chance to pull one back with a header, but he, too, failed to find the target.
As the final whistle blew, the scoreboard read 0-2, and the reality of Juventus’ predicament became painfully clear. This was their third consecutive defeat across all competitions and their fifth straight match without a win. The loss leaves them fifth in Serie A, one point behind Roma, who have a game in hand. Como, meanwhile, leapfrogged into sixth, just a point behind Juventus, continuing their impressive campaign under Fabregas’ guidance.
The defeat stings even more given what was at stake. Juventus had a golden opportunity to climb into the Champions League qualification places, but instead, they now find themselves looking over their shoulders. Only the top four teams in Serie A qualify for Europe’s premier competition, and with Inter Milan threatening to open up a ten-point gap at the top, the pressure on Spalletti is reaching fever pitch.
"Juventus blew their chance of climbing into the Champions League places in Serie A as they slumped to a 2-0 defeat at home to Como on Saturday," noted Barron’s, summing up the sense of missed opportunity that hung over the Allianz Stadium. The result comes on the back of the 5-2 thrashing by Galatasaray in the Champions League playoff first leg, making this one of the darkest weeks in recent Juventus memory.
The problems are clear: defensive absences have left the back line exposed, and the attack has lacked sharpness and composure in front of goal. Even Spalletti’s tactical changes and substitutions, including the introduction of Conceicao and the late push from David, failed to change the outcome. Como, for their part, executed their game plan to perfection. Vojvoda and Caqueret took their chances clinically, while Da Cunha’s creativity and Butez’s steady hands kept Juventus at bay.
Broadcast coverage of the match was available on DAZN in the UK, Ireland, and Italy, as well as on Paramount+ and fuboTV in the United States and Canada, ensuring fans around the world could witness Juventus’ struggles firsthand. The referee, Daniele Doveri, had a relatively straightforward afternoon, with the match played in a competitive but fair spirit.
Looking ahead, Juventus must regroup quickly. The second leg against Galatasaray looms large on Wednesday, and with their Champions League dreams hanging by a thread, Spalletti and his players will need to find answers—and fast. The mounting pressure from fans, media, and the club hierarchy is palpable. Whether this is just a rough patch or the sign of deeper issues remains to be seen, but one thing is certain: Juventus can ill afford any more slip-ups if they hope to salvage their season.
For Como, the victory is another feather in the cap for Fabregas and his squad. Their disciplined defending, opportunistic attacking, and ability to execute under pressure have made them one of Serie A’s surprise packages this year. With the league table tightening and every point crucial, both teams know that the real drama of the season is just getting started.