Juventus, plenty of changes against NEC: new faces and a few young players from the Next Gen team

Juventus wants to bounce back immediately from its heavy league defeat against Sassuolo. That’s why its Europa League debut against the Dutch side NEC (Thursday, 9:00 p.m., at Juventus Stadium) is an opportunity to seize.

Coach Spalletti seems determined to make some changes—or rather, to experiment against the Dutch side. Changes to the starting lineup are expected. Grabara could start in goal in place of Vicario. For the Polish goalkeeper, this would mark his debut in the black-and-white jersey.

In defense, Gatti is almost certain to start. The Italian defender could take Bremer’s place. Keep an eye on Cambiasso as well, who has now recovered from his physical issues and is looking to get playing time. Sarr should feature in midfield, while up front, Kolo Muani and Woltemade could start together.

It’s also possible that some young players from the Next Gen squad could be brought in, perhaps during the match. Juventus has included Radu, Owusu, Huli, Pagnucco, Rizzo, Durmisi, Elimoghale, and Verde on the Europa League B list. Some of these players could also get playing time against NEC, especially if the match goes well for the Old Lady. What is certain is that a win is needed to get back on track and silence the many recent critics.