Liam Duckstein
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Juventus host NEC Nijmegen in the UEFA Europa League on Thursday 17 September 2026, and the two predicted lineups tell very different stories of squad rotation. Juventus arrive with a group that has barely changed across their last four matches, while NEC Nijmegen’s expected XI carries a bit more churn from Dick Schreuder’s bench. Both sides’ team news includes a lengthy absentee list, which shapes just how settled each projected line-up really is.
Juventus Predicted XI
Luciano Spalletti’s men are projected in a 3-4-2-1, which is also his preferred formation, built from the last four line-ups Juventus have used. It is a settled side – 10 of the projected XI started their last match – which points to a coach sticking with a core group rather than shuffling it week to week. Teun Koopmeiners stands out with only one start across the sample despite being pencilled in here, and Weston McKennie’s single start, with none of the last three, marks him as the more rotated pick in this expected XI. The rest of the group, from Guglielmo Vicario through to Randal Kolo Muani, have started in every one of the four matches used for this projection.
Juventus predicted XI: Guglielmo Vicario; Zeki Çelik, Gleison Bremer, Pierre Kalulu; Francisco Conceicao, Douglas Luiz Soares, Kerim Alajbegovic, Nicolás Iván Gonzalez, Teun Koopmeiners, Weston McKennie; Randal Kolo Muani
| Line | # | Player | Starts in last 4 | Last 3 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| G | 25 | Guglielmo Vicario | 4/4 | 3/3 |
| D | 2 | Zeki Çelik | 4/4 | 3/3 |
| D | 3 | Gleison Bremer | 4/4 | 3/3 |
| D | 15 | Pierre Kalulu | 4/4 | 3/3 |
| M | 7 | Francisco Conceicao | 4/4 | 3/3 |
| M | 12 | Douglas Luiz Soares | 4/4 | 3/3 |
| M | 17 | Kerim Alajbegovic | 2/4 | 2/3 |
| M | 31 | Nicolás Iván Gonzalez | 2/4 | 2/3 |
| M | 8 | Teun Koopmeiners | 1/4 | 1/3 |
| M | 22 | Weston McKennie | 1/4 | 0/3 |
| F | 9 | Randal Kolo Muani | 4/4 | 3/3 |
NEC Nijmegen Predicted Lineup
NEC Nijmegen’s predicted lineup also comes out as a 3-4-2-1 under Dick Schreuder, matching his own preferred shape, and this projection is drawn from six recent matches rather than four. The side is largely settled, with 8 of the projected XI starting their last match, though there is more turnover further up the pitch than at Juventus. Nikolas Polster is projected in goal despite just one start in the sample and not featuring in the most recent match, while Dušan Tadić’s five starts overall sit alongside him being left out last time out. That mix suggests Schreuder has more than one option in both areas, even if this remains the most-used group across the six matches assessed.
NEC Nijmegen predicted lineup: Nikolas Polster; Tobias Storm, Bram Nuytinck, Almugera Kabar; Tjaronn Chery, Noe Lebreton, Clement Bischoff, Dušan Tadić, Darko Nejašmić, Dennis Geiger; Kaj Sierhuis
| Line | # | Player | Starts in last 6 | Last 3 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| G | 12 | Nikolas Polster | 1/6 | 1/3 |
| D | 21 | Tobias Storm | 6/6 | 3/3 |
| D | 17 | Bram Nuytinck | 3/6 | 2/3 |
| D | 66 | Almugera Kabar | 2/6 | 2/3 |
| M | 9 | Tjaronn Chery | 5/6 | 2/3 |
| M | 20 | Noe Lebreton | 5/6 | 2/3 |
| M | 99 | Clement Bischoff | 5/6 | 2/3 |
| M | 10 | Dušan Tadić | 5/6 | 2/3 |
| M | 6 | Darko Nejašmić | 4/6 | 2/3 |
| M | 18 | Dennis Geiger | 2/6 | 2/3 |
| F | 14 | Kaj Sierhuis | 3/6 | 2/3 |
Team News: Who Is Out
Kenan Yıldız, Khephren Thuram, Manuel Locatelli and Jérémie Boga are out injured, while Lloyd Kelly, Daniele Rugani, Jeff Ekhator, Edon Zhegrova and Arkadiusz Milik are unavailable through suspension, a combination that thins both midfield and attacking options for Juventus. Jhon Lucumi, with three starts in the sample, looks the bench option best placed to step into the side if changes are needed at the back or in midfield.
| Player | Pos | Status | Reason |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kenan Yıldız | F | injured | Foot injury |
| Lloyd Kelly | D | suspended | Red card suspension |
| Daniele Rugani | D | suspended | Off the roster |
| Jeff Ekhator | F | suspended | Off the roster |
| n54qllhj8713qvy | suspended | Red card suspension | |
| Edon Zhegrova | F | suspended | Off the roster |
| Arkadiusz Milik | F | suspended | Inactive |
| Khephren Thuram | M | injured | Knee injury |
| Manuel Locatelli | M | injured | Knee injury |
| Jérémie Boga | F | injured | Muscle Injury |
Deveron Fonville and Ahmetcan Kaplan are out injured, while Isak Hansen Aaröen, Adam Tahaui, Freek Entius, Yassin Moslih and Gonzalo Alejandro Crettaz Ortega are unavailable through suspension for NEC Nijmegen, leaving the defence and goalkeeping department particularly short of numbers. Bryan Linssen, who has started four of the matches used here, is the bench player with the strongest recent run to potentially come into the side.
| Player | Pos | Status | Reason |
|---|---|---|---|
| Isak Hansen Aaröen | M | suspended | Off the roster |
| Adam Tahaui | M | suspended | Off the roster |
| Freek Entius | G | suspended | Off the roster |
| Yassin Moslih | D | suspended | Off the roster |
| Gonzalo Alejandro Crettaz Ortega | G | suspended | Red card suspension |
| Deveron Fonville | D | injured | Ankle injury |
| Ahmetcan Kaplan | D | injured | Knee injury |
How These Line-ups Were Picked
Each predicted lineup here is built from that team’s own recent history – the last four line-ups for Juventus and the last six for NEC Nijmegen – with more recent matches weighted more heavily than older ones. Anyone confirmed injured or suspended has been removed from selection before the projection is built. This is not an official team sheet; it is a projection based on patterns of selection, and it can and will change once the actual line-ups are announced before kickoff.
Read also: Juventus vs NEC Nijmegen Head-to-Head: Record, Stats & Form (Updated September 2026)
Read also: Juventus vs Nijmegen Prediction: 17.09.2026 UEFA Europa League
FAQ
What formation are Juventus and NEC Nijmegen expected to use?
Both sides are projected to line up in a 3-4-2-1, matching the preferred formation of Luciano Spalletti and Dick Schreuder respectively.
Who is predicted to start in goal for Juventus vs NEC Nijmegen?
Guglielmo Vicario is projected in goal for Juventus, having started all four matches used in this projection, while Nikolas Polster is the projected NEC Nijmegen goalkeeper despite only one recent start.
Who is unavailable for Juventus and NEC Nijmegen?
Juventus are without Kenan Yıldız, Khephren Thuram, Manuel Locatelli and Jérémie Boga through injury, plus Lloyd Kelly, Daniele Rugani, Jeff Ekhator, Edon Zhegrova and Arkadiusz Milik through suspension. NEC Nijmegen are missing Deveron Fonville and Ahmetcan Kaplan through injury, along with five players suspended, including Isak Hansen Aaröen and Adam Tahaui.
When do Juventus play NEC Nijmegen?
The UEFA Europa League match kicks off on Thursday 17 September 2026.