Turin, September 17, 2026 – The Europa League season couldn’t have started better for Juventus. The match came at a not-so-bright moment, against a tough and exciting opponent to watch, capable of climbing the ranks at home, but the response from the Bianconeri was that of a top team. Spalletti’s boys have fun and entertain, imposing themselves 5-0 over NEC Nijmegen with five different scorers and securing their first three points of the group stage. Nico Gonzalez opened the scoring, then Alajbegovic and Woltemade from the penalty spot closed the first half, while in the second half Çelik and Kolo Muani completed the work.
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First half
The European season for Juventus begins, returning to the Europa League after the semifinal lost in 2023 against Sevilla, who then became champions. For this continental debut, Spalletti chooses Grabara in goal, protected by the central pairing of Gatti and Lucumí. On the right Kalulu and on the left Çelik complete the defensive quartet. Sarr and Douglas Luiz are the midfielders, Alajbegovic, McKennie, and Gonzalez make up the attacking midfield behind Woltemade. Facing the Bianconeri is NEC Nijmegen, a very interesting Dutch team, led by the experienced Tadic in attack, while Chery and Linssen operate behind him. In midfield, Thomas, Bischoff, Nejasmic, and Lebreton make up the unit, while Polster in goal is the choice of coach Schreuder. The three-man defense includes Storm, Sandler, and Kabar.
NEC starts strong, trying to impose their high pressing, which has brought them to the top zones of the Eredivisie. Juventus is in no rush, taking time to study the opponent and managing the guests’ aggressiveness well. In fact, the Bianconeri are looking for space to attack in depth and score the opening goal at the first chance. A long ball from Grabara seeks the central run of Nico Gonzalez in the opponent’s defense. The goalkeeper’s long pass is perfect, and the Argentine does the rest. The South American shifts the ball and avoids the rash exit of Polster, slotting it into the net with an open goal. After 9 minutes, Juventus leads 1-0 against NEC.
After taking the lead, Spalletti’s team manages the ball and the pace, keeping the opponent’s ambitions under control. The Dutch do react, and at 16′ they approach Grabara’s area for the first time when Lebreton frees himself to shoot, but the Polish Juventus goalkeeper blocks it on the ground. The Bianconeri still hold the reins of the game, and near the middle of the first half, they come close to doubling the lead with Woltemade’s deflection on Douglas Luiz’s shot, forcing Polster to intervene. The moment is positive, and the second goal comes just two minutes later, when at 24′ Alajbegovic scores the second Juventus goal. McKennie frees himself excellently, then waits for a pass to a teammate. The final solution goes to the Bosnian, who coordinates and with a perfect right foot places the ball under the crossbar for the 2-0 Bianconeri.
NEC’s chances are sporadic, and the one at 27′ for Linssen on Tadic’s excellent assist doesn’t even find the target. The visitors try to gain courage, but misfortune strikes them. At half an hour, Bischoff stays down, hurting his thigh, and is forced to leave the field, replaced by Geiger. Juventus, however, shows no mercy and a few minutes later finds the third goal of the evening. Another run by Nico Gonzalez, served perfectly in depth, allows the Argentine to attack the penalty area. Kabar tries to stop him sliding but commits a penalty foul. From the spot steps Woltemade, who, with a powerful but not particularly angled right foot, beats Polster and scores the 3-0 Juventus goal.
The three-goal lead gives great calm to Juventus, who can already afford to manage physical and mental energy in view of Serie A. The chances for the first half are essentially over. The break comes after one minute of added time: it is 3-0 for Juventus against NEC Nijmegen after the first half.
Second half
Schreuder tries to change something at the start of the half; the second half begins with the entry of Monteiro for Kabar, while Spalletti, evidently satisfied with the first half, returns with the same eleven. The pace, compared to how the game started, is decidedly lower at the beginning of the second half. Juventus wants to lull the game to sleep and uses possession to extinguish and definitively suffocate the last embers of the guests. Early in the second half, the first cards of the match arrive: the first is for Monteiro who commits a late foul on Sarr, the second for Douglas Luiz who stops an opponent’s counterattack with a hold.
No chance seems able to disturb Juventus’ three-goal lead, but to be sure, Spalletti makes a triple substitution at the 60th minute: in come Koopmeiners, Conceiçao, and Bremer, out go Nico Gonzalez, Douglas Luiz, and McKennie. NEC also rotates with the entry of former Torino player Schuurs for Sandler, while for Juventus, it’s time for Kolo Muani to come on for Alajbegovic. The Frenchman seems to have entered with the intention of giving one last jolt to the game. At the 76th minute, he is served in depth by a touch from Lucumí. The Frenchman leaves the newly entered ex-Toro behind and crosses where Çelik follows the play. The Turkish fullback thanks him and, with an open goal, scores Juventus’ fourth: it’s 4-0 at the Stadium.
Juve’s fourth seems to revive the team, now eager to seek a fifth goal. Among the most active is Conceiçao, who from the edge comes very close to a fifth goal, but shoots just wide. NEC makes the last substitutions of the game, fielding Kers and Udinese’s former Nuytinck for Lebreton and Linssen. The visiting team has one last surge when Thomas shoots strongly and well-directed from the edge: Grabara blocks it on the ground with an excellent save. The chance for the Dutch team signals Juventus to score the fifth goal as well. Woltemade passes to Lucumí. The Colombian’s vertical touch finds Kolo Muani perfectly, who avoids Polster’s exit and slots into the empty net. Juventus Stadium celebrates; it’s the fifth goal of the evening for the Bianconeri: 5-0 for Spalletti’s team.
In the final minutes, space is also given to 2005-born Owusu, who replaces Woltemade among Juventus ranks, but the game effectively ends here. Juventus starts their Europa League season in great style, a 5-0 home triumph over NEC Nijmegen with five different scorers and a great injection of confidence for the season ahead.
