Juventus begin their Europa League league-phase campaign against NEC with Luciano Spalletti asking his side to turn the response to defeat into proof of their standing, rather than another argument about the club’s past.
Juventus seek a response as NEC arrive in Turin
Juventus host NEC in the opening round of the new Europa League league phase after losing at Sassuolo in Reggio Emilia, a result that has revived debate around the Bianconeri and prompted some supporters to speak again about Antonio Conte.
Spalletti did not attempt to deny the scale of the task around him. Juventus, he said, have a responsibility created by their own history: they must show they deserve their position and remain worthy of it. The immediate requirement, however, is simple — win against the Dutch visitors.
“As long as we are given the opportunity, all our energy must go into showing that we are Juventus, not into trying to change other people’s minds,” Spalletti said. “We have lost one match, after all. That is what we are discussing.”
The coach noted that two Serie A managers had already been changed after only four rounds of the championship, but said he was not surprised by the scrutiny. He described the modern football conversation as one in which social media allows people to project their own frustrations onto others, insisting he would not follow the mood around him.
Asked about reports of fans missing Conte, Spalletti said everyone is entitled to support the idea they prefer. “Everyone makes the poster they want,” he said. “My poster is Luciano Spalletti.”
He maintained that he still sees a strong group at Juventus, despite what he called their worst start to a league campaign in recent seasons. There are issues to correct, he accepted, but his methods and belief in the team have not changed.
Lessons from Sassuolo
The defeat at Sassuolo has been reviewed in detail at Continassa. Spalletti said the staff had identified the changes required to stop similar problems recurring, with the team needing to stay more compact, close passing lanes and make better decisions over when to press and when to remain together in a deeper collective block.
For the coach, the larger test is mental. Juventus must maintain a level of concentration that lets them move beyond setbacks, he said, because the player who recognises the situation first can act first.
Spalletti also believes the game is increasingly shaped by small individual choices and sudden changes of rhythm. He praised the new refereeing regulations intended to reduce time-wasting and simulation, saying they should expose players who spend too long on the ground.
Pressure, meanwhile, is not something he regards as a threat. When asked whether he felt calm, Spalletti replied that pressure had been essential to his education in life. He recalled working as a child alongside school to help his family during difficult circumstances, and said the noise following a defeat cannot now unsettle him.
“I decide which thoughts I give space to in my mind,” he said. “I do not give much room to the things you are referring to.”
NEC’s attacking warning
Spalletti expects an awkward European evening if Juventus are not prepared. He spoke highly of NEC coach Dick Schreuder, describing him as a high-level manager who had the courage to impose his ideas in a football culture already well developed, leaving behind a distinctive identity after winning a third-division title.
NEC average close to two goals per match, a figure Spalletti said reveals the ambition of their football. He expects an aggressive, high-pressure opponent with quality players and wide partnerships that operate on inverted feet, looking to drive inside towards goal.
“It could become an uncomfortable night,” he warned.
Juventus did not reveal their starting line-up. Spalletti said he still had assessments to make, with two or three players who could not all be selected together. He nevertheless made clear that he wants Weston McKennie on the pitch, while Andrea Cambiaso’s condition also remains under evaluation.
On Teun Koopmeiners, the coach said the midfielder is rated highly and possesses the qualities expected of an international player. But Spalletti added that Koopmeiners must now make decisive personal choices during matches and show the important moments of quality that Juventus know he has, beginning with his work in training.
Kalulu calls for forward focus
Pierre Kalulu opened the pre-match press conference by urging Juventus to leave the Sassuolo result behind. The defender said the past cannot be changed, but the errors from the match had been identified and the squad are determined to improve.
Kalulu shares Spalletti’s assessment of NEC as a strongly attacking team and said Juventus have prepared for their threats. He sees little practical difference in the turnaround between Champions League and Europa League fixtures, since players still work with only two or three days between games and must be ready regardless of the competition.
He also backed Randal Kolo Muani, who is still waiting for his first goal. Kalulu said he knows the forward well, sees his commitment every day and has no doubts that he will make a major contribution across the season.
With his 100th Juventus appearance approaching, Kalulu said he has personal targets but prefers to keep them private. He believes he remains far from his ceiling and wants the team to achieve more as well.
The Europa League should not be treated as an easier route to silverware or as a way to avoid a trophyless season, he said. It is simply Juventus’ European path this year, and it still contains many strong opponents.
Kalulu added that playing alongside Francisco Conceicao or Edon Zhegrova does not substantially alter his role. Both are dangerous attacking players with different characteristics, and he sees it as his responsibility to adapt to them and help their offensive actions develop. He also described Koopmeiners as a calm, hard-working dressing-room presence with both physical and technical attributes.
For Juventus, then, NEC is not merely the first European date on the calendar. It is an early opportunity to show that the Sassuolo defeat has produced corrections rather than uncertainty — and that the season’s pressure can be carried with conviction.
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Juventus vs NEC: Spalletti demands response after Sassuolo defeat
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Luciano Spalletti says Juventus must show their identity against NEC in the Europa League after the Sassuolo loss, while addressing Conte talk, squad decisions and Teun Koopmeiners.
