Juventus demolish NEC Nijmegen 5-0 in Europa League opener to ease pressure on Spalletti

Juventus made light work of NEC Nijmegen in their Europa League league-phase opener, easing to a comfortable 5-0 victory in Turin. The result gives Luciano Spalletti some much-needed breathing room after his team had picked up just one point from their previous two Serie A matches.

• Nico González opened the scoring after nine minutes following a Nikolas Polster mistake.
• Kerim Alajbegovic and Nick Woltemade extended the lead before half-time.
• Randal Kolo Muani set up the fourth goal and scored the fifth in the final 15 minutes.
• The win ends a tough stretch for Juve ahead of their trip to Celta.

A five-goal boost to silence Spalletti's critics

The season had not started well for Juventus. A sixth-place finish last term kept them out of the Champions League, and recent domestic results had turned up the heat: a 1-1 draw at home to Milan followed by a 3-2 defeat away to Sassuolo. The European tie arrived with the coach under scrutiny and the team in need of a response.

That response was emphatic. Juve looked clinical in attack and punished nearly every opening against a NEC side that, despite having experienced summer signing Dusan Tadic in their ranks, never looked capable of stopping the hosts.

Nico González opens the scoring after goalkeeper error

The first goal came early, in the ninth minute, from an unlikely route. Kamil Grabara, the Polish goalkeeper making his Juventus debut, launched a long ball that turned into an accidental assist. Nikolas Polster misjudged his attempt to claim it, missed the ball completely, and left Nico González with an open goal to tap into.

NEC tried to respond through Noe Lebreton, who controlled inside the box and fired a half-volley, but his shot was straight at Grabara, who looked assured all evening. At the other end, Juve were ruthless. Nick Woltemade squandered a clear chance with an awkward thigh finish, but the second goal was not far away.

Alajbegovic and Woltemade wrap it up before the break

In the 24th minute, Weston McKennie broke down the left and sent a measured pass for Kerim Alajbegovic, unmarked in the area, to fire home the second. The young Bosnian was also opening his account as a Juventus player on a memorable night.

Alajbegovic was involved in the third goal as well, releasing Nico González with a through ball. The Argentine was brought down from behind by Almugera Kabar and the referee pointed to the spot. Woltemade stepped up and converted the penalty in the 35th minute, celebrating his first goal since joining from Newcastle.

Nijmegen fade and Juve finish the rout

After the interval, Dirk Schreuder's side, with the former Castellón coach at the helm, enjoyed more possession but moved the ball slowly and without ideas, failing to trouble Juventus. The hosts simply managed the game and stayed solid at the back as the clock ran down.

Randal Kolo Muani put the gloss on the scoreline in the final 15 minutes. The French forward came off the bench and laid the fourth goal on a plate for Zeki Çelik after a fine solo run to the byline in the 75th minute. He then rounded it off with a goal almost identical to the opener: Jhon Lucumí launched a long ball over the high Dutch defensive line, Polster failed again on his way out, and Kolo Muani arrived first to score his first of the season and make it 5-0.

Juventus next test: a trip to Celta

The victory gives Juventus a strong start to their European campaign, and they will now travel to Spain to face Celta on October 15. The away test in Vigo will show whether this convincing win has truly restored the team's confidence.