Juventus begin their Europa League campaign at the Allianz Stadium with the Sassuolo defeat still close enough to provoke noise, but Luciano Spalletti has made clear that he intends to answer it on the pitch. NEC Nijmegen arrive on Thursday as the next test of a side asked to recover its rhythm, its conviction and, in the coach’s words, its identity as Juventus.
The coach and the club
Spalletti faced questions after the loss in Reggio Emilia, including calls from part of the support for Antonio Conte’s return. His response was calm rather than defensive: supporters are entitled to back whoever they wish, he said, while his own poster still carries the name of Luciano Spalletti.
The Juventus coach remains persuaded by the quality of his squad and said a single defeat would not alter his work. He stressed that, while the club continue to give him time and room to work, the team’s efforts will be directed towards training and matches rather than public arguments, social-media criticism or what he described as people projecting their weaknesses through a phone.
He also welcomed the public support offered earlier in the week by managing director Giovanni Carnevali. Spalletti called Carnevali an experienced and balanced football figure, saying the executive understands the need to bring calm to the environment so that the players can perform. The coach added that he intends to improve and meet the standards expected of him.
Pressure, Spalletti insisted, is not something that unsettles him. He recalled earning small amounts for his family after school when he was 10, saying that experience taught him early how to live with responsibility. The judgments that follow defeats cannot be controlled, he said; his duty is to act in the interests of Juventus and the group.
He noted that two coaches have already changed jobs after only four league rounds, a reminder of the scrutiny that surrounds major clubs. Juventus, he said, have earned that level of expectation through their history.
From Reggio Emilia to Europe
The defeat to Sassuolo has been reviewed in detail, with Spalletti acknowledging that Juventus must correct elements of their performance. He pointed to greater compactness when closing passing lanes and to making better choices over when to press and when to sit deeper as a collective and wait for an opponent’s mistake.
Still, he placed particular emphasis on mental speed. Modern football, he argued, increasingly turns on the players’ small decisions: anticipating situations, reading what is actually unfolding rather than what appears logical beforehand, and reacting before the opponent. “Those who think first play first, defend first and do everything first,” was the essence of his message.
Spalletti also praised recent refereeing guidance which, in his view, discourages attempts to gain advantages through time-wasting and simulation while placing greater responsibility on players to withstand physical challenges rather than exaggerate contact.
The Europa League is not being treated as an easier route to silverware. Juventus and Milan may be among the teams widely mentioned as favourites, but Spalletti said readiness is the only credible way to show that a player belongs at Juventus. Pierre Kalulu shared that view, describing the tournament as a different path rather than a simpler one.
NEC’s warning and McKennie’s return
NEC come to Turin after three Dutch league matches without a win, but Spalletti has warned against reading too much into that sequence. He expects a recognisable and ambitious approach from Dick Schreuder, whom he described as a high-level coach with the courage to impose his ideas in a football culture full of established principles.
The Nijmegen side average two goals per game, according to Spalletti, and include players Juventus know well. Former Udinese defender Bram Nuytinck is among them, while Dusan Tadic was singled out as another major threat. The coach expects NEC to use inverted wide players to create central situations and to apply sustained pressure.
Juventus must therefore retain a high mental intensity, Spalletti said, otherwise the evening could become uncomfortable. There is no fear within the camp, but there is a clear warning: if Juventus are not prepared, NEC can surprise them.
Weston McKennie will start after recovering from the muscular issue that kept him out in recent weeks. Andrea Cambiaso is also back in contention, although Spalletti explained that two or three players are not yet ready to complete 90 minutes and cannot all be introduced together. He declined to reveal the rest of his line-up.
Kalulu looks forward
Kalulu, who endured a difficult night in Reggio Emilia, was alongside Spalletti before the European opener and urged Juventus to focus on what can still be changed. The Sassuolo match cannot be rewritten, he said, but its errors can provide lessons ahead of NEC, a side he expects to attack with purpose.
The French defender backed Randal Kolo Muani to overcome his wait for a goal. Kalulu knows his teammate well and said the forward is working hard; once he starts scoring, Juventus will receive significant help from him.
Kalulu also spoke warmly of Teun Koopmeiners, describing him as a calm teammate who works hard and combines physical qualities with technical ability, including a valuable left foot. Spalletti expects important decisions and a consistent level from the Dutch midfielder, not only in matches but also in training.
Asked about the choice between Edon Zhegrova and Francisco Conceição, Kalulu said the two attackers possess different strengths but are both dangerous going forward. His own task, he explained, is to adapt to their movement and help them in attacking phases.
Kalulu has private personal targets for the season and believes he remains far from his ceiling. For now, though, the immediate target is collective: Juventus must take Europe seriously from its first night.
A new opponent in Turin
This will be Juventus’ first competitive meeting with NEC. Their recent record against Dutch teams in major European competition is less reassuring than their history might suggest, with only two wins from their last six such fixtures.
For NEC, the trip to Turin marks only the fourth appearance in a major European competition in the club’s history. Their previous campaigns came in the 1983-84 Cup Winners’ Cup, where they reached the last 16, and in the UEFA Cup in 2003-04 and 2008-09, ending in the first round and round of 32 respectively.
Ukrainian referee Oleksii Derevinskyi will take charge, assisted by compatriots Oleksii Myronov and Dmytro Zaporozhenko. Klym Zabroda is the fourth official, while Denys Shurman will oversee VAR with England’s Stuart Attwell as assistant VAR.
SEO Title: Juventus begin Europa League chapter against NEC amid Spalletti’s response
SEO Description: Luciano Spalletti has urged Juventus to answer their Sassuolo defeat on the pitch as Weston McKennie returns to start against NEC Nijmegen in the Europa League.
