Juventus responded to last weekend’s stoppage-time defeat to Sassuolo in the best possible way, hammering five goals past NEC Nijmegen at the Allianz Stadium to open their Europa League campaign with a statement win. Here’s how every Juventus player rated in the rout.
Kamil Grabara made his Juventus debut in goal, and it was his long ball forward that put NEC’s stand-in keeper Nikolas Polster in trouble inside nine minutes, with Nico Gonzalez rounding him for the opener. Kerim Alajbegovic doubled the lead on 24 minutes with a drilled finish after Weston McKennie carried the ball forward, before Nick Woltemade converted a penalty ten minutes later after Gonzalez was fouled in the box. Federico Gatti had also seen an early effort ruled out for a foul on Polster. NEC actually had the better of the possession and chances for a spell after the break, with Ayodele Thomas causing problems down the left, but Grabara was rarely troubled and Juventus’s defence held firm. Substitute Randal Kolo Muani needed only four minutes to make an impact, setting up Zeki Celik for the fourth before scoring the fifth himself, rounding Polster after being released by Jhon Lucumì. It was the sort of result that eases some of the pressure on Luciano Spalletti, whose job had reportedly been under discussion before kick-off.
Juventus
Grabara: A composed, assured debut between the posts, playing the raking pass that put NEC’s keeper in trouble for the opener and never seriously tested at the other end. 6.5/10
Kalulu: A tidy shift at right-back, doing his defensive job without fuss as Juve controlled the game for long spells. 6.0/10
Gatti: Had an early effort chalked off but otherwise a solid, mistake-free night at the back as part of a clean sheet. 6.0/10
Lucumì: Untroubled defensively and picked out Kolo Muani in behind with a lovely long ball for the fifth goal. 6.5/10
Celik: Got on the scoresheet himself, tapping home from close range after good work from Kolo Muani, and offered his usual industry down the right. 7.0/10
Sarr: A tidy, understated night in midfield, keeping things moving without ever being the headline act. 6.0/10
Douglas Luiz: Picked up a booking and was replaced with an hour gone, a fairly quiet outing by his standards. 5.5/10
⭐ Nico Gonzalez: Pounced clinically on the goalkeeper’s error to open the scoring, then won the penalty for Juve’s third — directly involved in two of the five goals before making way. 7.5/10
McKennie: Drove forward well to tee up Alajbegovic’s goal, easing his way back from injury before being withdrawn as a precaution. 6.5/10
Alajbegovic: Found the top corner for his first goal since joining in the summer, a real statement of his quality. 7.0/10
Woltemade: Sent the goalkeeper the wrong way from the penalty spot for his first Juventus goal, having gone close with an earlier header. 6.5/10
Spalletti: The perfect response after the Sassuolo collapse, with his side ruthless in front of goal and comfortable throughout — a result that buys him some breathing room. 7.0/10
Substitutions
Bremer: Came on for McKennie and did his job quietly as Juve saw the game out. 6.0/10
Conceição: Added energy after the hour and went close with an effort from distance. 6.0/10
Koopmeiners: A low-key cameo after replacing the booked Douglas Luiz. 5.5/10
⭐ Kolo Muani: Electric impact off the bench — took four minutes to set up the fourth goal and then scored the fifth himself. 7.5/10
Owusu: N/A
