Champions league and Europa league thread (General)

How many countries are ahead of NL on coefficient points, and how much ground do we have to make up??

 

Goddamn Austrians!!

 

ADO Den Haag's stadium

 

Feyenoord is going to play in a weird atmosphere. Dynamo has been punished by UEFA with a stadium ban. So in principle an empty stadium. However about 150 Feyenoord supporters had already bought a ticket and booked fly and stay. So they are allowed by UEFA to go into the stadium. So Feyenoord will be playing a kind of home match for 150 supporters

 

AZ and PSV better not f_ck this up today

 

All 3 Dutch teams are favourites to advance on betting sites

 

Honestly the draw couldn't have been better. PSV is particularly lucky with this draw. However, I have to say that van Bommel is such a poor tactician. He makes Stam looks like a promising coach.
I had hopes for him to be as good as his father-in-law.

 

I read the clubs from Turkey and Austria had a bad run, which benefitted us apparently.

 

Thank you Brugge. They beat an Austrian team and are set to eliminate them for the CL.
That's what good neighbours are for, isnot it.

 

It's the curse of the qualifiers for the CL/EL for clubs in the Netherlands.
It comes in a period that you should be practicing for the competition and fitting in new players. Instead it is scrambled together and each objective is interfering with the other.
This whole shit is due to the UEFA.

 

https://www.vi.nl/nieuws/uitstelvoordeel-in-europa-verdwenen-voor-ajax-psv-en-az

Yes all 4 Dutch clubs that are active in the qualis have been given the weekend off.

Last time Bruges asked to reschedule a game the FA (KBVB) denied their request, leaving Bruges with a terribly congested calendar. Now they didn't mind as it's only 2 games/week and player fatigue isn't an issue this early in the season. Still the KBVB has changed their MO this year (probably because the KNVB helped out Ajax last year/those news articles didn't go unnoticed). Ghent and Antwerp are both active in EL qualis and had a game against each other this weekend but that will be postponed. Bruges didn't ask but their game will be postponed as well.

Now that other countries are helping their clubs (in Europe) Dutch clubs will lose that advantage. Feyenoord still get that edge (HBS's game this weekend wasn't postponed). Hoping this won't backfire, e.g. Europe's top clubs getting help and being well-rested ahead of games against clubs from smaller leagues.

PS preventing Antwerp fans from attending the game against AZ... I see another "edge" has already been found. Last month there was a similar case in Belgium (only a week to get things sorted) and visiting fans were welcome. Antwerp also have to play their home games elsewhere, i.e. in Brussels, and AZ fans will be received with open arms: https://www.vi.nl/nieuws/brussel-ontvangt-fans-van-az-en-antwerp-wel-met-open-armen

 

It's not AZ's fault. They're guests in the Twente stadium (because of the AZ stadium roof collaps) and the burgomaster and police of Enschede couldnot guarantee safety on that short notice.

 

Dunno. The Twente collaps was during the build and at least one construction worker iirc lost his life.
Edit: Investigations are still taking place, so those have to be completed before decisions can be made about the safety of the stadium as a whole, let alone decisions about repair.

 

As I said there was a similar case in Belgium last month and they managed to accomodate the travelling fans (shorter notice as well) and now Brussels are helping Antwerp out while AZ fans are welcome.

The odd thing is because it was feared Antwerp and ADO fans would clash the tie was moved to the other side of the country, Enschede. And now the mayor of Enschede pulls this stunt. Hard to believe he can't sort this out/they aren't prepared. True Antwerp fans are a bit noisy but it isn't exactly an insurmountable task to allow them to attend a game.

 

Yeah, but the decisions are made by the burgomaster after advice of the police brass. It's not a plot to benefit a Dutch club. There were two events taking place at the matchday already in Enschede.
https://www.rtvoost.nl/nieuws/31719...linge-Belgische-interesse-voor-Suzan-en-Freek