NEC Nijmegen were beaten 3-0 at Cambuur in the Eredivisie five days ago, and Dick Schreuder’s side now face a considerably steeper test: a trip to Turin for the opening matchday of the UEFA Europa League league stage. Juventus, meanwhile, are carrying their own wound into Thursday’s fixture, having conceded a 3-2 defeat at Sassuolo in Serie A just four days ago, a result that will have sharpened focus inside Luciano Spalletti’s squad. With the Europa League league round placing 16 of 36 sides into the knockout play-offs, neither club can afford to treat this opening game as a throwaway.
What’s at stake
The 2026-27 Europa League uses a 36-team single league stage: every club plays eight matches, and the top eight advance directly to the round of 16, while teams ranked 9th through 24th enter knockout play-offs. That means 16 places inside the top 24 are worth fighting for across the full campaign, and the very first game shapes the arithmetic early. A win here is worth three points in a competition where the margins between direct qualification and a play-off berth, or between a play-off spot and elimination, can come down to head-to-head records.
For Juventus, a home win is the obvious expectation given the gap in club stature, but Spalletti’s side cannot coast. The Sassuolo defeat showed defensive vulnerabilities, and a European stumble on home soil in matchday 1 would create unnecessary pressure before a run of tougher opponents. For NEC, three points from Turin would be among the most significant results in the club’s recent history, validating their presence at this level after qualifying from the Eredivisie.
How they got here
Juventus have gone W-W-D-L across their last four competitive fixtures, beating Frosinone away (1-0) and Parma at home (2-0) in the opening Serie A weeks before drawing with AC Milan (1-1) and then losing to Sassuolo (2-3). The Sassuolo result is the concern: conceding three on the road points to a backline that has not yet found consistency under Spalletti. NEC arrive in worse domestic form. Their last five results read L-D-L-W-L, with defeats against Cambuur (0-3) and Feyenoord (1-3) sandwiching a draw with Excelsior (2-2). Their only win in that stretch came at PEC Zwolle (3-1). They also lost 0-3 at Bodo/Glimt in the Champions League qualifiers, an indicator that European away trips have been difficult territory.
The two clubs have never met before, so there is no head-to-head record to reference. Juventus carry the obvious home advantage at Allianz Stadium and bring considerably deeper squad quality, but their recent results mean Spalletti will not be working from a position of ease heading into the week.
Key battle to watch
Juventus’s midfield, built around Teun Koopmeiners, Douglas Luiz, and Manuel Locatelli, should control the tempo against a NEC side that has struggled to hold defensive shape, conceding nine goals in three of their last five matches. The question is whether Spalletti opts for a compact, low-risk setup to restore confidence after Sassuolo, or whether he gives attacking players like Kenan Yildiz and Randal Kolo Muani a platform to run. NEC’s best chance of disruption likely comes through Dusan Tadic, the veteran playmaker who can slow the press and create from deeper positions. If Tadic gets time on the ball, NEC can build something; if Juventus’s midfield cuts off that supply early, this could become a long night for the visitors.
Key Stats
Match Context
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Our Prediction
Juventus are the clear favorites and a home win feels the most likely outcome, though Spalletti will want a controlled, defensively solid performance after the Sassuolo damage. NEC have shown enough in spells this season to threaten on the break, particularly if Tadic finds space in the final third, but their run of form gives little reason to expect a result in Turin. Expect Juventus to win, though the margin may be tighter than the gap in squad quality suggests.