Juventus make European history in huge win over NEC

Juventus began their 2026-27 UEFA Europa League campaign with an emphatic 5-0 victory over NEC Nijmegen at the Allianz Stadium.

The Bianconeri produced a dominant attacking display to put the Dutch side under pressure from the opening stages, scoring three times before half-time before adding another two goals after the break.

Nico Gonzalez, Kerim Alajbegovic, Nick Woltemade, Zeki Celik and Randal Kolo Muani were all on target as Luciano Spalletti's side responded strongly following their recent Serie A defeat.

The result also extended Juventus' remarkable record in European competition. They have never lost their opening home match of a European competition season, with the victory over NEC taking their record to 21 wins and five draws from 26 games.

Gonzalez capitalises on early NEC mistake

Juventus started aggressively and quickly pinned NEC inside their own half.

The opening goal arrived after just nine minutes, with goalkeeper Kamil Grabara playing a long pass towards Nico Gonzalez.

NEC goalkeeper Nikolas Polster came off his line but hesitated, allowing Gonzalez to reach the ball first. The Argentine took advantage of the mistake and calmly finished into the empty net to give Juventus an early lead.

The goal also continued Gonzalez's European record for the club. It was his ninth career goal in major European competition and his second for Juventus, with his previous Bianconeri goal also coming against Dutch opposition when he scored against PSV Eindhoven in September 2024.

Alajbegovic doubles Juventus lead

Juventus continued to control the contest after going ahead.

Woltemade came close to adding a second in the 23rd minute when the ball fell to him inside the penalty area, but Polster managed to make the save.

The pressure paid off one minute later.

Weston McKennie combined with Kerim Alajbegovic on the edge of the area, with the teenager controlling the ball before firing a powerful right-footed effort into the corner.

At 18 years and 361 days old, Alajbegovic became only the second teenager in Juventus history to score in a major European competition.

The only previous teenager to do so was Gianfranco Zigoni, who scored against OFK Belgrade in the Inter-Cities Fairs Cup in 1963 at 18 years and 311 days.

Woltemade sends Juventus three clear

NEC's problems deepened before half-time when Gonzalez drove into the penalty area and was brought down.

The referee immediately awarded Juventus a penalty, giving Woltemade the opportunity to add a third.

The German made no mistake from the spot, sending Polster the wrong way in the 35th minute.

The goal was another piece of Juventus history, as Woltemade became the first German player to score for the club in a major European competition since Jürgen Kohler found the net against Borussia Dortmund in the UEFA Cup in April 1995.

Juventus therefore went into the interval with a commanding 3-0 advantage.

The Bianconeri had also scored at least three goals in the first half of a European match for the first time since September 2021, when they achieved the feat against Malmö in the Champions League.

Juventus manage the second half before adding two more

With a three-goal cushion, Juventus were able to control the second half rather than chase the game.

NEC had periods of possession after the break, but Juventus remained comfortable and continued to threaten when opportunities appeared.

The hosts eventually found a fourth goal in the 75th minute.

Kolo Muani, who had come off the bench, produced an impressive run down the wing before sending a low cross into the area. Zeki Celik arrived to finish from close range and make it 4-0.

The goal was Celik's third in European competition. His previous two came for Lille against Celtic in October 2020 and Roma against Porto in February 2025, both in the Europa League.

Kolo Muani completes the rout

Juventus were not finished.

Eight minutes after Celik's goal, Jhon Lucumi sent a long pass forward for Kolo Muani to chase.

The French striker got to the ball before the advancing Polster, rounded the NEC goalkeeper and rolled his finish into an empty net.

The 82nd-minute goal completed a 5-0 victory and gave Juventus five different scorers on the night.

Kolo Muani's contribution was particularly notable because he scored and assisted after coming on as a substitute. The Juventus post-match statistics noted that he became the first player to achieve both in a European match as a substitute since Lorenzo Pellegrini did so in March, while he was the first Juventus player to manage the feat since Dusan Vlahovic in September 2025.

Juventus make emphatic European statement

The final score reflected an efficient Juventus performance rather than a match decided by possession alone.

The Bianconeri had 51% possession and registered six shots on target compared with NEC's three, while the Dutch visitors were unable to turn their spells of possession into goals.

Juventus also scored five or more goals in a match for the first time since their 5-0 victory over Cremonese on 12 January.

In a major European competition, they had not reached five goals in a single match since their 7-0 Champions League victory over Olympiakos in December 2003.

For Spalletti, the result provided an emphatic start to Juventus' Europa League campaign.

For NEC, the night was made even more difficult by two costly moments from goalkeeper Polster, whose early hesitation contributed to Gonzalez's opener before he was beaten again when Kolo Muani rounded him for the fifth.

Juventus ultimately had five different scorers, a three-goal half-time lead and a clean sheet as they began their European campaign with a convincing 5-0 victory.

SportsLigue