Juventus have reached the first demanding turn of their autumn: Europe arrives at the Allianz Stadium with NEC, but the immediate concern is how Luciano Spalletti manages a reduced squad before Sunday afternoon’s meeting with Atalanta, also in Turin. The defeat at Sassuolo in Reggio Emilia has left little room for indulgence, and the coach must find changes that refresh his side without loosening its grip on either competition.
Juventus seek a response between NEC and Atalanta
SEO Title: Juventus face NEC with Spalletti balancing Europa League and Atalanta test
Meta Description: Luciano Spalletti must rotate a depleted Juventus squad against NEC while keeping Sunday’s crucial Serie A match with Atalanta firmly in view.
The club’s intention is clear: Juventus want to pursue the Europa League seriously. Yet their Serie A position offers no protection against another setback, particularly with Atalanta due only a few days after the European fixture. Spalletti therefore faces the awkward task of making substantial adjustments while preserving the habits and authority his team need after the Sassuolo loss.
The medical situation remains the central constraint. Weston McKennie and Andrea Cambiaso have returned, with Cambiaso seemingly closer to an immediate starting place after overcoming a non-muscular problem. But Juventus still have eight players unavailable for the European match. Edon Zhegrova is not included on the UEFA list, while Lloyd Kelly must serve a suspension carried over from last season’s red card against Galatasaray. Kenan Yildiz, Khephren Thuram, Manuel Locatelli, Ekhator, Juan Cabal and Jeremie Boga are also absent as they continue longer recovery programmes.
Cambiaso’s return gives Spalletti a useful choice on the right. He could replace Celik directly, or allow the former Roma player to move into midfield. That second option could bring a return to a three-man defence, though the coach’s wider decisions will be shaped as much by the coming league fixture as by the Dutch visitors.
Goalkeeper is another area under consideration. Kamil Grabara is pressing Guglielmo Vicario for a place, and Spalletti has made clear that Juventus possess “two number ones”. A cup rotation, especially during the early phase of the competition, is increasingly plausible. In defence, Federico Gatti has a case after his late winner against Milan, while Bremer’s display in Reggio Emilia raised concerns after a difficult closing spell in which the Brazilian captain appeared short of sharpness.
Further forward, the demands on Douglas Luiz have become impossible to ignore. The Brazilian ended the Sassuolo game struggling physically after an unusually intense sequence of matches, but Juventus may still need him alongside the more energetic Sarr, with McKennie potentially held back as an option from the bench.
The shortage of wide players complicates matters. Boga remains injured and Zhegrova cannot participate in Europe, leaving Nico Gonzalez and Francisco Conceiçao likely to share the workload with Atalanta already in mind. Spalletti’s most delicate call, however, concerns his forwards. He does not want to abandon Randal Kolo Muani despite the Frenchman’s difficult start, but Nick Woltemade is in line to make his first start.
A new pairing could therefore take shape against NEC, with the German operating more centrally and Kolo Muani drifting into wider zones rather than being discarded. It would offer Woltemade responsibility without presenting the selection as a final judgement on Kolo Muani, whose place in the coach’s plans remains important.
NEC may appear a manageable obstacle, but Juventus cannot treat the occasion as a relaxed experiment. The side will enter a period of international football after next weekend’s round, and on their return they are scheduled to play every three days until the end of November. For Spalletti, the response to Sassuolo must begin now: through injuries, suspensions and returning players, Juventus need to rebuild momentum before the season’s rhythm becomes even less forgiving.
