Juventus return to Europe carrying the weight of their defeat at Sassuolo and the clear expectation that an opening-night win over NEC Nijmegen must follow at the Allianz Stadium.
Headline: Juventus cannot afford a false start against NEC Nijmegen
SEO title: Juventus face NEC Nijmegen with no room for Europa League slip
SEO description: Juventus begin their Europa League campaign against NEC Nijmegen after defeat at Sassuolo, with Luciano Spalletti’s side expected to respond in Turin.
The decision
The message around Continassa has been straightforward: NEC must not be taken lightly. The Dutch side arrive in Turin as opponents capable of making a difficult evening of it, while Juventus see the Europa League as an opportunity to restore confidence after their setback at Sassuolo.
For Luciano Spalletti and his players, however, the difference in the clubs’ financial scale makes anything other than victory hard to justify. Juventus have invested at a level far beyond that of NEC, an Eredivisie surprise whose squad has been assembled with considerably more modest resources.
Randal Kolo Muani alone illustrates the gap. Juventus agreed a deal with Paris Saint-Germain worth €38 million guaranteed, with a possible further €12 million in bonuses, taking the overall figure to €50 million. NEC’s entire squad is valued at just under €45 million.
That comparison is based on estimated market values rather than official club accounts, but it underlines the responsibility on Juventus. Kerim Alajbegovic cost the Bianconeri more than four times the €7 million valuation attached to NEC’s most valuable player, centre-back Ahmetcan Kaplan.
Kaplan was signed permanently from Ajax during the summer for €2.5 million, although a knee injury has so far kept him out of Dick Schreuder’s matchday squads.
Sunday’s picture
NEC’s recent progress has not come without significant departures. Their 2025-26 campaign brought in more than €40 million through sales, including Kodai Sano and Sami Ouaissa to PSV Eindhoven and Basar Onal to Lille.
Only a fraction of that income was put back into the market. NEC spent just under €7 million on recruitment, with Kaplan accounting for €2.5 million of the total.
That is the setting for Juventus’ European opener: an opponent who merits respect, but one whose resources make the expectation in Turin unmistakable. After Sassuolo, Spalletti’s side need the evening to become the first step towards a steadier chapter in their season.
