AZ Alkmaar vs Juventus - prediction, team news, lineups

One constituent isolated successful the Europa League table, Juventus and AZ Alkmaar are some vying for automatic qualification to this season's past 16.

Set to conscionable astatine AFAS Stadion connected Thursday evening, Juve person started strongly, but AZ boast a agelong unbeaten location grounds successful UEFA competition.

Match preview

More accustomed to eating astatine Europe's apical table, Juventus started their Europa League run with a 5-0 cruise astatine location to NEC, earlier being made to enactment overmuch harder for triumph implicit Celta Vigo connected matchday two.

Nick Woltemade and Randal Kolo Muani some scored arsenic Juve bushed Celta and moved apical of the table, but they slipped down to seventh with a location gully past clip out.

After Zeki Celik had opened the scoring against Rennes, the hosts past recovered themselves 2-1 down heading into the last half-hour, earlier Woltemade equalised from the spot.

Since then, it has been rather a mixed container successful Serie A, arsenic the Bianconeri bushed Lecce 2-0, past mislaid to Genoa by the aforesaid scoreline, mounting up a tense clash with Napoli connected Sunday night.

Ahead of kickoff successful Turin, Luciano Spalletti's injury-hit broadside laic 11 points down the league leaders, beneath recently promoted Frosinone and conscionable supra metropolis rivals Torino.

With his occupation perchance connected the line, Spalletti truly had to bushed a nine helium memorably led to the Scudetto successful 2023, and stunning strikes from Kerim Alajbegovic and Jeremie Boga yet got the occupation done.

In opposition to their home woes, Juventus person mislaid conscionable 1 of their past 10 continental games, portion scoring astatine slightest doubly successful 8 - truthful they whitethorn invited a instrumentality to the Europa League.

Heading into the clubs' archetypal competitory meeting, Juve are seventh successful the array connected 7 points, portion AZ beryllium 1 constituent down successful 10th place.

The Dutch broadside person responded good aft an opening-day decision to Sunderland, archetypal beating Hapoel Be'er Sheva connected location turf, past strolling to triumph successful Yerevan.

AZ simply swept Ararat-Armenia speech astatine the extremity of past month, with Brazilian winger Weslley Patati scoring doubly successful an emphatic 4-0 win.

Now heading backmost to Alkmaar, they person won 14 and mislaid nary of their past 17 European location matches, dating backmost to a Conference League clash with Aston Villa 3 years ago.

However, similar Juve, they person precocious been beneath par connected the home scene: Leeroy Echteld's broadside person lone taken 1 constituent from their past 4 league games, leaving them 5th successful the Eredivisie.

Amid a pugnacious tally of fixtures, they mislaid 2-0 astatine Feyenoord, drew 2-2 with Cambuur and were beaten 2-0 astatine location by Twente, earlier losing 1-0 to Ajax successful Amsterdam.

AZ Alkmaar Europa League form:

AZ Alkmaar signifier (all competitions):

Juventus Europa League form:

Juventus signifier (all competitions):

Team News

Juventus are inactive missing respective men, arsenic their relentless wounded situation continues.

Celik and Nico Gonzalez astir precocious joined Kenan Yildiz, Khephren Thuram, Francisco Conceicao, Kamil Grabara and skipper Manuel Locatelli connected the sidelines.

Furthermore, Weston McKennie, Juan Cabal and Alajbegovic each sustained knocks against Napoli, though they are expected to play immoderate portion successful Alkmaar.

With Jeff Ekhator conscionable returning, determination are fewer alternatives to Kolo Muani and Woltemade, the second of whom is joint-top scorer successful this season's Europa League with 3 goals.

AZ forwards Patati and Mexx Meerdink person notched 2 apiece, and they are apt to diagnostic successful the hosts' beforehand three.

Ayoub Oufkir is different option, arsenic helium returns from a home suspension, portion rising prima Kees Smit should beryllium backmost connected the seat aft recovering from injury.

Club skipper Peer Koopmeiners could travel up against his large member Teun, who scored 35 times successful 116 AZ appearances and whitethorn play for Juve successful midfield.

AZ Alkmaar imaginable starting lineup:

De Busser; Dijkstra, Goes, Hoedt, De Wit; Kwakman, P. Koopmeiners; Patati, Stengs, Daal; Meerdink

Juventus imaginable starting lineup:

Vicario; Kalulu, Gatti, Bremer, Cambiaso; Luiz, Sarr; Kolo Muani, T. Koopmeiners, Alajbegovic; Woltemade

We say: AZ Alkmaar 1-1 Juventus

They whitethorn person made minimal advancement successful Serie A since Spalletti arrived 1 twelvemonth ago, but Juventus are inactive a unit astatine Europa League level.

With a small luck, the Bianconeri could adjacent endanger AZ's agelong unbeaten streak connected location turf, but the spoils volition astir apt beryllium shared.

For information investigation of the astir apt results, scorelines and much for this lucifer delight click here.