Juventus vs NEC Nijmegen Lineup September 2026 – Italian giants Juventus will host Dutch side NEC as both teams begin their journey in the 2026/2027 Europa League.

The match is scheduled to take place at the Allianz Stadium on Thursday, September 17, 2026, at 9:00 PM local time.

Although through different routes, both clubs failed to maintain their chances of qualifying for the Champions League, meaning they must now compete in UEFA’s second-tier competition.

Now, before the match begins, let’s take a look at Mansion Sports’ prediction for the Juventus vs NEC Nijmegen lineup September 2026 below!

Both Teams’ Conditions Ahead of the Match

Juventus

After suffering a damaging collapse at the end of last season, collecting just five points from their final five matches, Juventus failed to finish in the Serie A top four and had to miss out on Champions League football.

Appointed midway through another underwhelming season, interim manager Luciano Spalletti avoided dismissal and was handed a contract extension, but his squad have made a mixed start to the new campaign.

After narrowly getting past Frosinone and Parma, they needed a late equaliser to avoid defeat at home against AC Milan before suffering a painful setback on Sunday.

After coming from behind twice, Spalletti’s side pushed for a winning goal, but they were instead caught on the counter by Sassuolo, who scored the winner in the 94th minute through Vasilije Adzic, a player currently on loan from Juve.

As a result, the Bianconeri must look to quickly recover from the defeat as they begin their latest European campaign.

As two-time European champions, Juve have a long and rich history behind them, while their highly experienced manager is also very familiar with this competition.

Juventus will become the fifth club managed by Spalletti in the Europa League, after Zenit St Petersburg, Roma, Inter Milan, and Napoli, and he has suffered just two defeats in 18 group-stage matches.

NEC Nijmegen

Unlike their hosts, who have a long history in European competition, NEC have only appeared in European competitions four times so far, and this will be their first appearance in 17 years.

Dick Schreuder’s side surprisingly finished third in the Eredivisie last season, earning them a place in the Champions League qualifying rounds.

After overcoming Olympiacos in their opening match, the Dutch club were just one step away from reaching the league phase, but they subsequently lost to Bodo/Glimt in the playoff round.

Although they suffered a heavy 6-1 aggregate defeat, losing 3-1 in Nijmegen before being beaten 3-0 in Norway, a direct route into the Europa League provided significant consolation.

Like Juventus, NEC’s domestic results have also been inconsistent. After winning their first two away matches but collecting just one point from a possible six at home, NEC suffered a heavy defeat last week.

A 3-0 loss to newly promoted side Cambuur was not the ideal way to prepare for a difficult trip to Turin.

Juventus vs NEC Nijmegen Lineup September 2026

Juventus (4-2-3-1)

Regarding Juventus’ squad situation, with the team facing an injury crisis since the start of the season, Spalletti will have to find the right balance amid Juve’s various commitments, meaning several squad rotations are expected on Thursday.

The hosts will be without Kenan Yildiz, Khephren Thuram, Juan Cabal, Jeremie Boga, Jeff Ekhator, and captain Manuel Locatelli. The latter has just undergone knee surgery and is likely to be sidelined until next spring.

Lloyd Kelly must also serve a suspension, but Andrea Cambiaso and Weston McKennie have returned to full training and are both expected to be included in the squad.

Strikers Nick Woltemade and Randal Kolo Muani, who have struggled to find the back of the net, will compete to lead the hosts’ attack.

NEC Nijmegen (3-4-2-1)

Meanwhile, regarding NEC’s squad situation, their attack is likely to be led by Kaj Serhuis, with their main striker, Bryan Linssen, currently sidelined with an injury.

Ahmetcan Kaplan, Deveron Fonville, and goalkeeper Gonzalo Crettaz are also unavailable. The latter must serve a suspension after receiving a red card in the Champions League playoff match against Bodo/Glimt.

To support Serhuis in attack, Serbian creative player Dusan Tadic is expected to partner fellow veteran and 38-year-old captain Tjaronn Chery.

This match will mark the beginning of Juventus and NEC Nijmegen’s journey in the 2026/2027 Europa League.

Juventus bring extensive experience in European competition, while NEC will look to put up a fight after earning their Europa League place through their Champions League qualifying campaign.

With both teams dealing with squad issues and several absentees, the clash at the Allianz Stadium will be an interesting match to watch.