Europa League: Az Alkmaar-Juventus on the pitch on Thursday at 9pm LIVE

It's raining in Turin but the clear weather has returned to Juventus, now it's up to Luciano Spalletti and his boys to get to the break on the right foot. The victory against Napoli brought back a smile and made people breathe a huge sigh of relief, the away games in Holland and Florence are still missing before going to the new break for the national teams. The Bianconeri left for Alkmaar without McKennie, who was rested as a precaution due to a muscle strain suffered on Sunday during the match against the Neapolitans, and aim to continue their positive streak in Europe.

"The team gave an important response and knew how to face Napoli, we left some footprints on the pitch that we need to confirm - declared coach Spalletti on the eve of the fourth match of the maxi-group - and now my boys have more confidence: they realized that everything depended on them". Other certificates of esteem arrived from the CEO and GM Carnevali during the shareholders' meeting: "Having trust and hearing nice words contributes to having strength in the environment, especially with the team, also because here in recent years the players were used to seeing coaches leave - says the Juventus player - and it becomes essential to take responsibility: in the last match the players helped themselves, and beyond how you prepare things, it then depends on how you do it and the strength you put into it".

The coach anticipates some lineup choices in Alkmaar: "Sarr, Cambiaso and Kelly will be in from the start, Alajbegovic will have to play a good chunk of matches whether before or after, one of Bremer and Lucumì will have to be rested as well as Douglas Luiz" he announces on the eve. And in attack? "Three of them play, you choose the center forward - Spalletti's response - and I think Kolo Muani can start, we took away the final 30 minutes from him against Napoli and he will be fresher: I remain of the opinion that he is a strong player, I'm always on his bandwagon".

In midfield, however, there is still room for the great former Teun Koopmeiners: "He has everything in his hands, or in his feet, and the way he played against McTominay, De Bruyne and Anguissa and came out great, he is a top player" he says of the 1998 class. For a thousand reasons it will be a special challenge for the Dutchman: partly because he returns to his homeland, partly because he will challenge the team where he grew up, partly because he will be facing his younger brother Peer. "In the past we faced each other in friendly matches, this time it will be in an official match and it would be nice to beat him - the words of the Juventus player towards the family match at the Afas Stadion - and he is always very competitive: he was certainly better at school, now we'll see on the pitch. Our mother? She can't wait, she predicted a 2-2".