Juventus vs NEC Nijmegen: Spalletti Emphasizes Mentality Ahead of Europa League Opener

Luciano Spalletti is not interested in the Europa League odds or the noise around Juventus’ chances this season. Ahead of Thursday night’s opener against NEC Nijmegen, he reduced everything to one word: mentality.

Juventus go into their first Europa League match of the 2026-27 campaign as clear favourites at home against the Eredivisie side. They have been widely backed to make a serious run in the competition. Yet the mood around the club shifted at the weekend, when a 3-2 defeat to Sassuolo in Serie A exposed familiar flaws and rattled some early-season confidence.

Spalletti, speaking in his pre-match press conference on Tuesday, did not sugarcoat what he saw.

“We could have been more attentive, fluid and now we have to be aware of the fact that we need to improve. We've outlined what we want to do and the things that we need to correct,” he said, dissecting the loss to Sassuolo.

That defeat has clearly sharpened his focus. The technical details matter, but in his eyes they all stem from the same source.

“We have to be tighter to cut off some of the opponents' passing lines and understand when to go and press, when to drop into the low block, these are the sorts of things we can correct. Today, the difference will be in how we interpret the situation. The mentality will be fundamental tomorrow.”

The message is blunt: get the attitude right, or risk a long and awkward night in Europe.

Spalletti sees NEC as far more than a routine group-stage hurdle. He warned of a side that will arrive in Turin with a clear plan and enough quality to punish any lapse.

“We should expect a ‘personalised’ game plan with lots of quality ideas. We have to be ready, otherwise we could be surprised,” he stressed.

NEC’s threat is not theoretical. Spalletti namechecked Dusan Tadic as one of the key dangers, highlighting both his quality and the structure around him.

“They also have strong players like [Dusan] Tadic and they play with inverted wingers because they want to converge towards the goal. We have to be at a high level mentally and if we're not ready, it could become an uncomfortable evening.”

So the stage is set. Juventus, at home, favourites, under pressure to respond after Sassuolo. Spalletti has drawn the line clearly: either his players show the mentality of a team serious about winning the Europa League, or they discover just how “uncomfortable” a Thursday night can become.