Dutch side AZ Alkmaar welcome Italian giants Juventus to the AFAS Stadion for a league-phase UEFA Europa League matchday four encounter on Thursday. This is a battle of the seventh-placed visitors against the 10th-placed hosts.

AZ Alkmaar are fifth in the Dutch Eredivisie, with 20 points from 11 matches, five points away from first-placed rivals Feyenoord.

De Kaaskoppen are in poor domestic form at the moment, having suffered their only three losses of the campaign in their last four games, including a 1-0 defeat to Ajax Amsterdam on Saturday.

In the Europa League, AZ have won two of their three matches this season, allowing them to sit 10th with six points, tied with Omonia Nicosia and Lyon.

Leeroy Echteld’s side lost their opening match in the competition 1-0 away to English side Sunderland, but they have since won 2-1 at home to Hapoel Be’er Sheva and 4-0 away to Ararat-Armenia.

That comprehensive victory against the Armenians at Vazgen Sargsyan Republican Stadium on 22 October came courtesy of a Weslley Patati brace, and goals from Valdemar Byskov and Mexx Meerdink.

Making it three wins in a row will be far more complicated, however, as Alkmaar now face the Turin giants, who are seasoned campaigners in Europe.

Juventus are more used to competing in the UEFA Champions League, but their sixth-placed finish in Serie A last season means that the Europa League is their playground this term, and they are taking that assignment seriously.

The Bianconeri have won two and drawn one of their three matches, placing them seventh in the league-phase standings with seven points, tied with Besiktas, Sunderland, and Royale Union Saint-Gilloise.

Luciano Spalletti’s side smashed Dutch club NEC Nijmegen 5-0 in their Europa League opener before completing an impressive comeback 2-1 win over Spanish outfit Celta Vigo.

In the third matchday, the Old Lady drew 2-2 with French club Rennes, dropping their first points of the campaign at the Allianz Stadium.

Goals from Juve’s Zeki Çelik and Nick Woltemade canceled out strikes via Mousa Al-Tamari and Boulaye Dia, as both sides settled for the stalemate and a point apiece.

In Serie A, Juventus are seventh with 17 points from 10 matches, 11 points off the pace set by league leaders Lazio. Spalletti’s men beat Napoli 2-0 in their most recent top-flight match in Turin on Sunday.

AZ Alkmaar vs Juventus head-to-head stats and key numbers

This will be the first-ever matchup between these two sides, and they will both be determined to put their best foot forward in search of three points.
After this encounter with Juventus, Alkmaar will still need to face Sparta Prague, Sturm Graz, Dinamo Zagreb, and Benfica in their remaining league-phase matches.
In search of qualification to the last 16, Juventus are scheduled to take on Omonia, Hapoel Be’er Sheva, Ferencváros, and Real Sociedad in their remaining Europa League league-phase matches.

AZ Alkmaar vs Juventus prediction

AZ Alkmaar typically bank on high-tempo transitions and wide overloads to keep opponents under pressure, and they are likely to follow that pattern of play at home in this encounter.

Juventus are expected to adopt a disciplined, compact shape to absorb pressure before launching lethal counterattacks, relying on the finishing of strikers Randal Kolo Muani and Woltemade.

Juventus are the stronger side, and their European pedigree is likely to shine through with a narrow away victory.

Prediction: AZ Alkmaar 0-1 Juventus