Luciano Spalletti is set to take Juventus to Alkmaar for AZ vs Juventus with Kolo Muani leading the attack and Cambiaso back in the mix, even as an emergency list of 11 unavailable players forces changes in midfield and forward areas. It is the kind of night that can move a team closer to the top eight in the Europa League table, but only if Juventus avoid the sort of one step forward and two steps back pattern that has already haunted them this season.
Thursday evening brings a difficult away trip against AZ, a side described as running hard and hitting hard, and one that sits fifth in its domestic league. For Juventus, the stakes are clear: the top two teams can qualify directly for the round of 16, so even a single result in Alkmaar could shape the rest of the campaign.
Spalletti’s selection has been forced by necessity
Before the Alkmaar match, Juventus were preparing to change both midfield and attack because of the shortage of available players. That is why the return of Cambiaso matters, and why Kolo Muani is expected to be trusted in a match where control will be difficult to maintain for long spells.
Spalletti has also been explicit about the level of instability he has inherited, saying he has seen too many coaching changes in recent times. That feeling matters here, because this is not a clean tactical reset; it is a team still trying to find rhythm while already dealing with a heavy injury burden.
A reminder from Amsterdam
There is also a useful memory for Juventus to lean on. Four seasons before this match, Spalletti’s Napoli scored six goals in Amsterdam, with Ajax credited for one of them. It is not a direct blueprint for what Juventus will do in Alkmaar, but it is a reminder that Spalletti has previously shown he can prepare a side for a difficult European away night and make it take shape quickly.
That said, this Juventus team cannot afford to rely on history alone. The more immediate question is whether the head coach can stop the side from slipping into uneven results, especially with Sunday evening’s trip to Florence waiting so soon after this Europa League test.
Why this result matters so much
The standings give the game real weight. Juventus are still in a position where progression can be strengthened by a strong away performance, and the possibility of direct qualification to the round of 16 makes every point valuable.
So the task is straightforward even if the circumstances are not: get a result in Alkmaar, protect the balance of the team, and show that the emergency situation does not have to define the night. For Juventus, that is the difference between building momentum and once again leaving the door open.
