Luciano Spalletti hails 'extra man' Kamil Grabara as Juventus thrash NEC Nijmegen in Europa League
A dominant European display
Spalletti left the Allianz Stadium completely satisfied after overseeing a resounding 5-0 victory over Nijmegen in the Europa League. The Italian manager was thrilled with the ruthless nature of the performance as his players dismantled their Dutch opponents.
This result marks a perfect start to the European competition, highlighted by a standout display from debutant goalkeeper Grabara. The shot-stopper secured a clean sheet on his first appearance, instantly earning the trust of his manager and team-mates.
Grabara excels on his debut
Spalletti was quick to single out his new goalkeeper for special praise following the final whistle. Speaking to Sky Sport Italia, he highlighted Grabara's modern shot-stopping qualities and ability to distribute the ball under pressure.
"Let me congratulate Grabara, who showed composure and the ability to play with his feet," Spalletti explained. "In these games goalkeepers become the extra man, and if you can find a free man inside the pitch like that, spaces open up for you."
Adapting to a depleted squad
Despite the comprehensive scoreline, Spalletti admitted that altering the team's shape was a necessary risk. With squad numbers currently depleted, the manager was forced to adapt his tactical approach to secure the result.
"For what we showed, we could have been more compact and naturally left less space behind the back line," he noted. "Given how it went, the choice to change something was the right one. Now we have so few players that we have to adapt."
He also praised his players' overall decision-making, adding: "They went onto the pitch clear-headed, they turned doubts into decisions and they made them well. They managed to make the most of their desire to do something."
Building on European momentum
Following this emphatic 5-0 triumph, Bianconeri must now recover and prepare for their upcoming domestic fixtures. The manager will be hoping that this tactical flexibility and clinical edge carry over into the weekend. With limited options at his disposal, Spalletti will continue to rely heavily on emerging figures like Grabara to step up.
