Sassuolo and Lega Serie A reacted to Ismael Koné’s horrific injury with the Canada national team, wishing him a speedy recovery: ‘We will get through this difficult time together,’ his club said.

Sassuolo midfielder Koné suffered a broken leg during Canada’s 6-0 win over Qatar in their second 2026 World Cup group stage game on Thursday.

Koné immediately underwent surgery in Vancouver, where he was visited by his teammate Moïse Bombito.

Koné scored six goals in 36 matches with Sassuolo during the 2025-26 season. He played a significant role for the Neroverdi in his first year in Serie A, and the Italian club sent him a message on social media following his injury.

“Get well soon, Isma,” Sassuolo wrote on X.

“We are close to you, and together we will get through this difficult time.”

Get well soon, Isma!

Ti siamo vicini e insieme supereremo questo momento difficile #ForzaSasol pic.twitter.com/KdTjlx5YNF

— U.S. Sassuolo (@SassuoloUS) June 19, 2026

Lega Serie A joined Sassuolo in wishing Koné a speedy recovery with a message posted on Facebook: “We’re gonna wait to see you again like this! Get well soon.”

The Serie A message came with a picture of Koné celebrating one of Canada’s goals against Qatar before his injury in the second half.

Koné’s recovery time remains unclear, but he’ll obviously miss several months of action with his club.

Ismael Koné underwent surgery after suffering a broken leg in Canada’s 6-0 World Cup win over Qatar last night and was immediately visited at the hospital by his compatriot Moïse Bombito.

Canada’s first-ever World Cup win, inspired by Jonathan David’s hat-trick last night, was marred by a horrific injury suffered by Sassuolo midfielder Koné.

Canada reactions as Koné suffers horrific injury

The 24-year-old was stretchered off following a reckless challenge from Assim Madibo, who was immediately confronted by some of Koné’s teammates and then received a straight red card after a VAR check.

“You could hear the bone snap,” said Canada coach Jesse Marsch via The Athletic.

“Your heart goes out to him. Everybody’s shaken for him.”

Ten minutes after Koné’s injury, Nathan Saliba scored a free-kick goal for Canada and celebrated by holding up Koné’s No.8 shirt.

“Koné means everything to this team,” said Juventus and Canada striker David.

“If you ask the same question to any guy on this team, they will tell you the same. He is someone that we love a lot.”

Koné immediately underwent surgery at a Vancouver Hospital and was visited by his teammate Bombito, who then shared a picture on Instagram.

Juventus striker Jonathan David has made history for Canada, becoming the country’s first player to score a hat-trick at a World Cup, but Sassuolo midfielder Ismael Koné suffered a serious injury in a 6-0 win over Qatar.

Canada secured a comfortable 6-0 win over Qatar in their second group stage game at the 2026 World Cup last night.

Juventus striker David makes Canada history at World Cup

Juventus striker David took centre stage by scoring a hat-trick, becoming the first-ever Canadian player to score three goals in a World Cup match.

There was, however, also bad news for one of the World Cup’s host countries as Sassuolo midfielder Koné suffered a broken leg eight minutes into the second half with Canada leading 3-0.

Assim Madibo’s reckless challenge led to Koné’s injury. The player from Qatar initially received a yellow card, but this was quickly upgraded to a red card after a VAR review.

 “Ismael is such a great kid – he’s so imperfect, but that’s part of why you love him,” said Canada coach Jesse Marsch via The Sun.

“Because he can do great things that nobody else can do, then the next moment he loses concentration. He embodies us as a team, it’s a huge loss for us. He’ll be fine; we’ll get him good doctors and get him back, but that kid is a big part of our future and everything we do.”

Both Koné and David have just terminated their first season in Serie A.

David scored eight goals in 46 appearances across all competitions with Juventus, while Koné netted six times in 36 matches with Sassuolo.

David is now the World Cup’s top-goal scorer, but according to recent reports in Italy, Juventus are open to offers for the Canada international this summer.

According to Gazzetta, however, David wants to remain at Juventus and fight for a starting spot in 2026-27.

Catch our latest Transfer Show on YouTube, where we break down the latest updates on David and the newest transfer news from Serie A.

You can watch the full episode below.

Juventus have exercised their purchase option for Jeremie Boga, making the Ivorian winger’s move from Nice permanent in what represents new CEO Giovanni Carnevali’s first piece of business since taking charge at the Continassa.

The deal, confirmed by Gianluca Di Marzio, via CalcioMercato, sees Juventus trigger the €4.8 million option included in the January loan agreement, a remarkably modest fee for a player who contributed four goals in 16 appearances during the second half of the season.

Carnevali reunites with Boga after Sassuolo connection as Juventus secure bargain deal

The signing carries a personal dimension for Carnevali, who worked with Boga extensively during his time at Sassuolo between 2018 and January 2022, before the Ivorian was sold to Atalanta for a total of €22 million.

The fact that Juventus are now securing him permanently for less than a quarter of that fee underlines both the player’s difficult years since leaving Sassuolo and the shrewd nature of the original January loan structure.

Boga arrives as a permanent Juventus player with something to prove, and a new CEO who knows exactly what he is capable of at his best.

Turkey field two Serie A starters in their opening World Cup match against Australia, with Inter’s talismanic regista Hakan Calhanoglu captaining the side in midfield and Roma’s Zeki Celik starting at right back.

Juventus star Kenan Yildiz is rested among the substitutes due to a fitness concern, while former Bianconeri defender Merih Demiral lines up in central defence.

For Australia, Parma centre-back Alessandro Circati starts in defence, with Sassuolo’s Cristian Volpato among the substitutes after a late change in national allegiance from Italian ahead of the World Cup.

Australia vs Turkey – Lineups – 2026 World Cup

Australia: Beach; Circati, Italiano, Bos, Souttar, Burgess; Metcalfe, O’Neill, Okon-Engstler; Touré, Irankunda.

Turkey: Cakir; Celik, Demiral, Bardakci, Kadioglu; Kokcu, Calhanoglu, Yuksek; Akturkoglu, Guler, Yilmaz.

Alberto Aquilani has given his first interview as Sassuolo head coach, describing his return to the club where he spent six months as a player in 2017 as both an honour and an emotional moment, ahead of his Serie A managerial debut.

The former Roma and Liverpool midfielder left Catanzaro to take up the role, and was reflective about what the club represents to him personally.

“It is a pleasure and an honour to be back here,” Aquilani said, with quotes via the Corriere dello Sport.

“There is emotion, because it is a place where I was happy. It is a place that gave me important values, and today I have confirmation that those values are part of this great family, so I am very happy.”

Aquilani relishes Berardi reunion ahead of Serie A managerial debut

On working with Domenico Berardi, a former teammate during his playing days at the club, Aquilani admitted the dynamic would take some adjustment.

“Meeting him again in this role feels a little strange, because I had the chance to play with him and appreciate his incredible qualities,” he said. “He has been here for many years and has always driven this team towards important targets. For me it will be an honour to coach him.”

On the challenge of Serie A itself, Aquilani was candid about what the opportunity means.

“It is the ambition of all of us who try to do this job, as it was as a player,” he said.

“I know it is a difficult league, but I feel ready to face it with this team and this club. To the fans, it is a pleasure to see them again, I wish them all the best and I assure them that from me and my staff we will give everything within our power so that Sassuolo can have the satisfactions they deserve.”

Juventus striker Jonathan David was rated 5/10 by Gazzetta dello Sport after Canada’s World Cup opener, but Serie A pair Sead Kolasinac and Ismael Koné were among the best players on the field.

Canada, one of the host countries of the 2026 World Cup, were held to a 1-1 draw by Bosnia and Herzegovina in their first game in the tournament on Friday.

Gazzetta reacts to David’s display in Canada 1-1 Bosnia

It was a match that left the Italy national team with plenty of regrets, as they were knocked out of the World Cup play-off final by Bosnia this past March.

Juventus striker David started the game, but was subbed off around the hour mark. David had a big chance at minute 16, but his shot from inside the box was too weak and easily saved by Bosnia keeper Nikola Vasilj.

Italian newspaper Gazzetta dello Sport rated David 5/10, writing: “Tell Carnevali that he [David] wasted a chance with his left foot.”

Carnevali is the new Juventus General Manager and CEO, appointed on Friday to replace Damien Comolli.

On the other hand, another Canadian Serie A player, Sassuolo’s Koné, was praised by Gazzetta, called the “Midfield Prime Minister” and rated 6.5/10.

Atalanta defender Kolasinac was the best player on the field for Bosnia, according to the pink paper, and was also rated 6.5/10.

Kolasinac’s compatriot Tarik Muharemovic, a teammate of Koné at Sassuolo, was rated 5.5/10 after losing the duel that led to Canada’s equaliser.

Sassuolo confirm the appointment of ex-Roma, Fiorentina and Liverpool midfielder Alberto Aquilani as their new head coach.

Former Italian midfielder Aquilani has been appointed Sassuolo’s new coach for 2026-27.

Official: Sassuolo hire Aquilani

Sassuolo confirmed the appointment of the 41-year-old with an official statement on Friday.

According to Sky Sport Italia, Aquilani has signed a two-year contract.

A former midfielder for Roma, Fiorentina and Liverpool, among others, this is Aquilani’s first job in Serie A.

He previously served as Giuseppe Iachini’s technical coach at Fiorentina in 2019-20 and then coached Fiorentina U19.

In 2023-24, he was the Pisa coach in Serie B, and in 2025-26 he coached Catanzaro, also in Italy’s second division, reaching the play-off Final, where Catanzaro lost to Monza.

Aquilani replaced Fabio Grosso at Sassuolo, after Fiorentina hired the 2006 Italy World Cup winner.

Aquilani also played for Sassuolo during his playing career, making 16 appearances for the Neroverdi in the second part of the 2016-17 campaign.

Sassuolo finished the 2025-26 season in 11th with 49 points.

It’s been a day of big changes for the Neroverdi, as their ex-CEO, Giovanni Carnevali, has left the club after 12 years to join Juventus.

Reports in Italy claim that Juventus have reignited their interest in signing Tarik Muharemovic from Sassuolo and that the Bianconeri could potentially include Vasilije Adzic as part of negotiations. 

Reports Juventus interested in bringing Muharemovic back from Sassuolo

Muharemovic joined Sassuolo from Juventus in 2024, signing on a permanent deal in 2025, and the Bianconeri are entitled to a 50% sell-on clause. This means that if Juventus are the ones who sign Muharemovic from Sassuolo this summer, they will effectively have a 50% discount. 

The Bosnia and Herzegovina international had been linked with a potential move to Inter this summer, but recent reports claim that Sassuolo are hoping that Muharemovic impresses at the upcoming World Cup and that his market value increases in the process. 

La Gazzetta dello Sport claims that there is interest from a number of unspecified Premier League clubs, which pleases Sassuolo, who are hoping for a ‘bidding war’ this summer. 

Juventus, meanwhile, are still interested in the prospect of bringing Muharemovic back to the Allianz Stadium during the upcoming transfer window. 

They feel that the defender is ready for a step up to a team that will be aiming for Champions League qualification next season and that the prospect of playing Europa League football in 2026-27 could be an ideal stepping stone for the 23-year-old. 

Negotiating with Sassuolo is not expected to be an easy task, even for Juventus with their 50% sell-on clause, so La Gazzetta dello Sport reports that the Old Lady could offer a loan of midfielder Adzic to sweeten a potential deal.