Juventus began their Europa League campaign against NEC with a public message of continuity from the club hierarchy: Luciano Spalletti retains full confidence as the team works through a summer of considerable change.
Key takeaways
- Chief Football Officer Ricky Massara said Juventus must treat every dropped point seriously without abandoning a calm assessment of the side.
- Massara described Spalletti as being in charge of the team in “excellent hands” and backed the coach to deliver improvement through daily work.
- Eight Juventus players in the starting XI against NEC were newcomers compared with last season.
- Juventus rank seventh across Europe’s five major leagues for minutes given to new signings.
- Nick Woltemade made his first Juventus start, with the club viewing him as a potentially complementary partner for Kolo Muani.
Patience from the Juventus board
The discussion around Spalletti had already been addressed by managing director Giovanni Carnevali, who called him an outstanding coach and made clear that changing manager is not his way of operating. Shortly before kick-off against NEC, Massara reinforced that line.
“Everyone at Juventus has a duty not to play down even a single point lost,” Massara said. “But we also have to assess things calmly. The team is in excellent hands and we believe that progress can come through the work.”
It was a reminder that Juventus are being judged not only on individual Sunday afternoons, but also on the wider rebuilding process underway at the club. Massara pointed to the scale of the squad turnover as a reason for balance in the immediate verdicts.
With eight new players selected from the outset against NEC compared with last year’s group, Juventus are still establishing their identity. Massara added that the club sit seventh among teams in the top five European leagues for the playing time handed to new arrivals, a figure he believes underlines the need for patience.
“We know we have changed a great deal,” he said. “Those are all factors that should lead us to be patient, while believing that it can bring something positive as soon as possible.”
Woltemade’s first start
The European opener also gave Woltemade his first Juventus start. Massara placed the German forward alongside Kolo Muani in his explanation of the club’s attacking plans, stressing that Juventus had considered the pair capable of offering different qualities.
“He is a strong striker, like Kolo Muani,” Massara said. “We thought he could complement him. The Frenchman is more direct and vertical, while the German can make himself available in the passing phase and in the penalty area. We are confident.”
For Juventus, then, the NEC match arrived with two connected tests: the first European night of the campaign and another step in integrating a heavily renewed squad under Spalletti’s guidance.
