Juventus midfielder Claudio Marchisio out for Champions League opener against Manchester City

Juventus are struggling to begin the season. That's not breaking news. New season, new problems. But one of the problems that we see every season — especially in recent months — have been important players suffering injuries that aren't just minor nicks and bruises.

(I hate what is about to happen.)

Juventus' website posted this on Sunday about Juve's pre-Man City preparations. It's the last paragraph of the post that's the most important one under these circumstances. Prepare yourselves to be sad (if you aren't already).

Preparations for the trip to Manchester will step up a notch during tomorrow's final training session at Juventus Center from 11.15 CEST, of which 15 minutes will be accessible to the media, before the team fly to the north west of England.

Their City experience will commence with a walk around at the Etihad Stadium at 18.20, with Massimiliano Allegri and Gianluigi Buffon to address the media shortly afterwards, from 18.45.

Missing out on the trip to England will be Claudio Marchisio, who yesterday reported an adductor muscle problem in his right thigh. He will remain behind in Turin to undergo further tests.

Dammit. Dammit all to hell.

Marchisio's return to the Juventus starting lineup last all of about 45 minutes against Chievo and that's it. Many of us wondered why he was taken off at halftime on Saturday — and now we've gotten our answer. It wasn't because Allegri wanted to save him for Manchester City. Nope, it was much more serious than that. And much more depressing than that.

Now we wait and see how long Marchisio is actually out for. Sky Sport reported on Sunday that Marchisio's thigh injury could keep him out for up to a month. If that's true, then he'd miss at least two of Juventus' Champions League group stage games.

And for a team that needs Marchisio's poise and class right now considering how the season has started and what's on the horizon, it couldn't have come at a worse time. Then you consider that he just came back from another injury and you can't help but feel the need to bash your head against the wall until kickoff in Manchester on Tuesday night.

When it rains, it pours, man. When it rains, it freaking pours.