On the last day of the August 2012 transfer window, Bendtner joined Italian Serie A club Juventus on loan for the season, with an option to make the move permanent. He made his debut as a substitute for Fabio Quagliarella in a 2–0 win against Chievo at the Juventus Stadium on 22 September 2012, and his first start came five weeks later in a 1–0 win against Catania. He again started in the Coppa Italia match against Cagliari in December, but suffered a thigh injury that required surgery and was expected to be out for at least two months. While he was ruled out through injury, he was at the centre of controversy when he was arrested for drink driving on 4 March 2013. Bendtner did not return to action until Juventus's last league match of the season with the title already secured. Coming on as a 74th-minute substitute in the 3–2 defeat away to Sampdoria on 18 May 2013, he fractured his wrist late in the game. He finished his season with only two league starts and without a goal in eleven appearances in all competitions. Juventus chose not to make the loan move permanent, and Bendtner returned to Arsenal.