2026-2027 Europa League: Juventus vs. NEC Nijmegen, probable lineups

Juventus and NEC Nijmegen take the field at 9 p.m. in a match counting toward Matchday 1 of the Europa League group stage. Spalletti’s team is looking to bounce back in front of its home fans after a tough loss to Sassuolo; the visitors, meanwhile, sit midway in the Dutch league standings and have lost two of their last three home games.

Spalletti may start Polish goalkeeper Kamil Grabara from the opening whistle. In front of him are Kalulu, Gatti, and Lucumi. McKennie will play on the right wing, while Celik will be on the left. In midfield, Sarr will partner Douglas, while the attacking trio will consist of Conceiçao, Woltemade, and Nico Gonzalez.

The Dutch side will feature Tadic as the lone striker, with Chery and Linssen behind him. In midfield, Monteiro will partner with Nejasmic, while Thomas and Lebreton will occupy the wings.

Juventus vs. NEC: Probable Lineups
JUVENTUS (3-4-2-1): Grabara; Kalulu, Gatti, Lucumi; McKennie, Sarr, Douglas Luiz, Celik; Conceiçao, Woltemade, Nico Gonzalez. Coach: Spalletti
NEC (3-4-2-1): Polister; Fonville, Schuurs, Storm; Thomas, Monteiro, Nejasmic, Lebreton; Chery, Linssen; Tadic. Head Coach: Schreuder

Spalletti had this to say before the match: “We need to reset and move forward. Dwelling on those things serves no purpose; it would only cause us to lose more ground. Obviously, we’ve analyzed them, and we need to make sure that, in those moments, different decisions are made. NEC is a team with truly innovative and surprising approaches based on what they show during matches. They’ve been averaging two goals per game every time they take the field. You have to expect things that force you to maintain an extremely high mental intensity at all times.”