Juventus Turin drew 2:2 with Stade Rennes on Tuesday in the Europa League, as a standout performance by German forward Nick Woltemade proved insufficient to secure victory for the Italian giants, SPORT1 reported.
Woltemade Delivers Goal and Assist Before the Break
The match saw Juventus seize an early lead when Woltemade unlocked the Rennes defense with a precise, perfectly weighted pass in the 6th minute to set up Mehmet Zeki Celik for the opening goal, as reported by T-Online. However, the French visitors responded before halftime. Musa Al-Taamari leveled the score in the 15th minute, and Boulaye Dia converted a penalty kick in the 43rd minute to give Rennes a 2:1 halftime advantage, according to match records cited by n-tv.de.
Stalemate Secured from the Penalty Spot
Juventus found parity in the second half when Woltemade stepped up to convert a 67th-minute handball penalty, sealing the 2:2 final scoreline and preventing a home defeat. According to SPORT1, Woltemade revealed after the match that he had asked teammate Randal Kolo Muani for permission to take the spot-kick. I asked him politely and in a friendly way if I could take the penalty,
Woltemade told Sky Sport Italia. He told me, ‘Yes, yes, okay, go ahead.’ Of course, I was happy. It worked out and I scored a goal.
Asked what manager Luciano Spalletti said at halftime, the forward confessed that it is not always easy for him to understand Italian, though the team knew they simply had to keep believing and fighting.
Historic Milestone Amid League Struggles
With his goal and assist against Rennes, Woltemade reached four goal contributions in three Europa League appearances this season. According to SPORT1, the 24-year-old joined an exclusive club as the third player to score in each of his first three appearances for Juve in a European competition, matching feats achieved by Roberto Baggio in 1990 and Darko Kovacevic in 1999. Domestically, however, the picture differs significantly. While Italian sports daily La Gazzetta dello Sport praised Woltemade as the primary positive aspect of the attack in a playmaking role, the forward is still searching for his first Serie A goal after being deployed primarily as a substitute. Juventus sits eighth in the Italian top-flight standings, trailing early frontrunners Inter Milan and Lazio Rom by eight points.
Managerial Assessment on Attacking Potential
Following the draw, Juventus manager Luciano Spalletti offered both praise and a challenge regarding his forward pairing. Today they played well,
Spalletti said regarding Woltemade and Randal Kolo Muani, adding: But I believe that we can expect more from both of them. Because their quality is even better than what they showed today.
Spalletti added that deploying Woltemade and Kolo Muani in tandem offers tactical multiplication rather than mere addition, noting that their combined cooperation functions almost like having three players on the pitch.
Juventus Seeks Top Eight Spot for Direct Qualification
The draw leaves Juventus with seven points from three matches, placing them sixth in the Europa League league phase table, though vulnerable to movement depending on the outcomes of later fixtures, as noted by T-Online. Finishing among the top eight remains the objective to secure direct qualification for the round of 16. Juventus continues its domestic and European campaigns under pressure to bridge the gap with the Serie A leaders and solidify its standing in continental play.
Nick Woltemade rescued a point as Juventus were held 2-2 at home by Rennes, dropping their first points in this season’s Europa League.Football Italia’s Man of the Match was Woltemade, for converting his penalty and setting up Celik’s opener. pic.twitter.com/8FW9WzjX2C
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