Juventus opened their 2026/27 UEFA Europa League campaign in emphatic fashion on Thursday night, dismantling NEC Nijmegen 5–0 at the Allianz Stadium. The commanding victory gave Luciano Spalletti’s side an ideal European start and a strong response after their 3–2 Serie A defeat to Sassuolo.
The Bianconeri immediately set the tone, taking control of the contest and punishing NEC with clinical finishing. Nicolás González opened the scoring, before Kerim Alajbegović doubled Juventus’ advantage. The young attacker’s goal was particularly notable, with reports identifying it as his first for the club and making him the youngest Juventus scorer in European competition.
Juventus continued to press forward and were rewarded with a third goal before half-time. Nick Woltemade converted from the penalty spot in the 35th minute, giving the hosts a commanding 3–0 lead at the break. For Woltemade, it was his first Juventus goal, adding another positive element to an already dominant first half.
The second half followed a similar pattern. Juventus remained firmly in control and continued searching for more goals rather than simply protecting their advantage. Their persistence paid off when Mehmet Çelik added a fourth in the 75th minute, before Randal Kolo Muani completed the scoring seven minutes later, sealing a comprehensive 5–0 victory.
The final scoreline was especially significant given Juventus’ recent domestic setback. After conceding three goals against Sassuolo, they responded by scoring five and keeping a clean sheet against NEC. The result also means Juventus began their Europa League league phase with three points and a +5 goal difference.
The performance also continued Juventus’ strong recent European record. Before the NEC fixture, the club noted that it had won four of its previous six European matches, while Randal Kolo Muani had been involved in six goals across his previous seven European club appearances.
For Juventus, the task now is to carry this confidence back into Serie A. Their next fixture is a home meeting with Atalanta on September 20, where they will attempt to build on an impressive European night.
Five goals, a clean sheet and three points gave Juventus exactly the kind of European opening they would have wanted a statement performance without conceding a goal.
