Juventus were beaten 1-0 by Cremonese in a friendly during the international break, with Federico Bonazzoli scoring after an assist from former Bianconero Licina.
The result was secondary for Luciano Spalletti, who used the match to give minutes to first-team players and opportunities to several Next Gen and Under-20 prospects.
Juventus struggled to find rhythm in the opening stages, while Cremonese looked more comfortable in possession and created the clearer threat. The visitors took the lead when Bonazzoli collected Licina’s delivery and finished past the Juventus defence.
Spalletti's side tried to respond but rarely managed to build sustained pressure. Kolo Muani was brought down in the area before half-time in an incident that appeared to warrant a penalty, although the referee did not award one.
The Juventus coach also used the game to test Andrea Cambiaso in a deeper midfield role. The experiment offered another tactical option, although the Italy international did not always look comfortable in an unfamiliar position.
Spalletti started with Carlo Pinsoglio in goal and a side including Federico Gatti, Bremer, Lloyd Kelly, Andrea Cambiaso, Weston McKennie, Daniele Rugani and Randal Kolo Muani, alongside younger players from the club's pathway. The mixture reflected the purpose of the fixture, with the coach balancing experience and development.
After the interval, the pattern remained largely unchanged. Juventus played at a subdued tempo, with several senior players appearing to feel the effects of their workload during the week.
Spalletti gradually turned the game into an opportunity for the younger players, with Alfonso Montero and Davide Marchisio among those given time on the pitch. The changes brought greater energy to Juventus' attacking play.
Durmisi went closest to an equaliser when he struck the post, before Guerra hit the crossbar as Juventus increased the pressure late on. Neither effort produced the goal required to rescue the result.
Cremonese therefore held on for a 1-0 victory, while Juventus were left to assess the game in the context of a friendly rather than a competitive fixture. For Spalletti, the main value lay in giving players minutes and examining different combinations before the return to action.
The defeat offered limited evidence about Juventus' wider form, with the squad rotation and training workload important factors. The opportunities handed to the younger players, and Cambiaso's trial in midfield, provided the more useful talking points from the afternoon. Spalletti can now assess those lessons ahead of the competitive schedule overall.