AZ Alkmaar host Juventus in the Europa League on Thursday, November 5, with kick-off set for 20:00 local time at AFAS Stadion. Only one point separates the sides in the competition: Juventus are seventh and unbeaten after three matches, while AZ are 10th with two wins and one defeat. Both will see an opportunity to strengthen their position, although their recent results suggest a closely contested match. AZ are trying to respond to successive domestic losses without scoring; Juventus arrive after a victory over Napoli but have also been inconsistent.

AZ Alkmaar's Recent Form and Key Stats

AZ Alkmaar recovered from an opening Europa League defeat by winning their next two matches. Their competition record stands at two wins and one loss, with averages of 2.0 goals scored and 0.7 conceded per game. Those figures offer encouragement ahead of Juventus's visit, but AZ's latest domestic results have been less convincing.

A 4-0 win over Ararat-Armenia was followed by defeats against Ajax and Twente, both without an AZ goal. The Ajax loss came on October 31, when AZ went down 1-0. Across their last five matches in all competitions, they have taken two wins, one draw and two defeats, averaging 1.6 goals scored and 1.2 conceded. The immediate question is whether they can regain the attacking rhythm reflected in their Europa League average.

Home results provide a stronger point of reference. Before a 2-0 defeat to Twente, AZ had gone five home matches unbeaten and won four of them. They have also scored in 20 of their last 21 home games, while 20 of those 21 fixtures featured more than 1.5 goals in total. That does not erase the concern raised by their two recent scoreless defeats, but it shows why their broader home record remains relevant to this preview.

AZ have not been behind at half-time in any of their last 19 home matches and have led at the interval in nine of the last 14. There has also been at least one second-half goal in 19 of their last 21 home fixtures. Maintaining that level of competitiveness will matter against visitors who have scored freely in Europe.

Juventus's Recent Form and Key Stats

Juventus have made an unbeaten start to the Europa League, collecting two wins and a draw from three matches. They average 3.0 goals scored and 1.0 conceded in the competition. Their most recent European outing was a 2-2 draw with Rennes, and each of their league-phase matches so far has produced more than 2.5 goals.

The visitors beat Napoli 2-0 on November 1, a welcome result amid an uneven spell. Like AZ, Juventus have recorded two wins, one draw and two defeats over their last five matches. In that span, they have averaged 1.2 goals scored and 1.4 conceded. Their European scoring figures have been stronger than those recent overall numbers, so the Napoli win gives them a timely result to build on rather than proof that their inconsistency has disappeared.

Juventus have not kept a clean sheet regularly away from home, recording only two in their last six away fixtures. Their recent matches have nevertheless tended to feature goals: each of their last 12 games has had more than 1.5 goals in total. While they will want to improve their away performances, AZ's long run of scoring at home suggests the visitors may have work to do at both ends.

AZ Alkmaar vs Juventus Match Analysis

The contrast between AZ's recent scoreless defeats and their longer-term home scoring record is central to this Europa League match preview. AZ have reason to seek a response, having lost to Ajax and Twente, but their two European wins and goals in 20 of 21 home matches show what they have been capable of across a wider sample. Juventus, meanwhile, have remained unbeaten in the competition without consistently shutting opponents out on their travels.

There is little to separate the teams on recent results: both have identical two-win, one-draw, two-defeat records across their last five matches. Their Europa League paths differ more clearly, with AZ recovering from an opening loss and Juventus yet to be beaten. The one-point gap gives this meeting added significance without making either side an obvious favourite on the supplied form.

The goal statistics provide the clearest thread through the contest. AZ's home fixtures have frequently passed the 1.5-goal mark, Juventus have reached that total in 12 straight matches, and all three of the visitors' Europa League games have featured at least three goals. AZ's latest scoring difficulties are a reason for caution, yet the competition figures and longer home record leave a higher-scoring match as a coherent possibility.

AZ Alkmaar vs Juventus prediction from BetMines: Over 2.5 goals with 51% probability.