Wahala dey for AZ Alkmaar camp as dem dey prepare for big UEFA Conference League quarter-final match against Shakhtar Donetsk. Coach Leeroy Echteld don drop one big decision wey go affect how dem go start di game. Di man wey suppose start as striker, Ro-Zangelo Daal, no go see di field from beginning because im arrive late for training.
Na Ziggo Sport break di news say Daal, despite im good form dis season, go dey on bench for disciplinary reasons. Instead of am, Ibrahim Sadiq go start as left winger for di Alkmaar side. Dis one na big blow for AZ fans wey dey expect Daal to lead attack against Shakhtar.
Coach Echteld explain di matter well-well. “At di start of di season, we agree on few clear rules,” di coach yarn. “Di first na say you give one hundred per cent. Di second rule simple pass: be on time. If you late, no going back.” Di coach confirm say Daal bench na because of im tardiness, no be football matter.
But wait, dis na not di only disciplinary issue for di team. Reporter Sam van Royen ask Echteld if warning wey im give squad during Wednesday training relate to Daal case. “No, dat one na about another person,” Echteld reply. “E dey very frustrating say dis kind thing dey happen again and again.”
Di match go hold Thursday evening by 9:00 pm CET for Kraków, Poland. Na because of war for Ukraine say Shakhtar no fit play for dia home ground. AZ line-up go feature Zoet as goalkeeper; Maikuma, Goes, Penetra, Van Duijl, De Wit for defense; Mijnans and Smit for midfield; Patati, Parrott, and Sadiq for attack.
Meanwhile, one big supporter dey show love for di team. Marco Borsato, di Alkmaar-based singer, follow im son Luca travel to Krakow for di match. Borsato talk say im dey follow AZ closely and call am “my little club.” Im son Luca sabi everything wey dey happen for di team.
Borsato yarn about how AZ dey always sell dia best players early. Im point to Kees Smit as example. “You see wetin dey happen with Kees now. He be prodigy. I go love to keep am here for another year. Di boy don dey hail as great talent worldwide, so e almost impossible to keep am,” Borsato conclude.
Kees Smit, di 20-year-old midfielder, don make 72 appearances for AZ with six goals and ten assists. Im get contract until 2028 but people dey expect say im transfer go break club record soon.
For di UEFA Conference League quarter-finals, eight teams remain. Shakhtar Donetsk, wey dey play from Ukraine, get UEFA coefficient ranking of 48. Dem win UEFA Cup for 2008/09 and don claim 15 league titles for Ukraine. Dis na dia first Conference League campaign but dem don reach quarter-finals already.
AZ Alkmaar get UEFA coefficient ranking of 85. Dem don win two Dutch titles before and reach final of 1980/81 UEFA Cup. Di club represent Alkmaar city and Zaan region for Netherlands north. Dem reach Conference League semi-finals for 2022/23 season.
Other teams wey remain include Crystal Palace from England, Fiorentina from Italy, Rayo Vallecano from Spain, AEK Athens from Greece, Mainz from Germany, and Strasbourg from France. Di road to final for Leipzig on 27 May dey open for all teams.
Quarter-final matches go hold 9 and 16 April. Shakhtar vs AZ na one of di key fixtures. Winner go face either Crystal Palace or Fiorentina for semi-finals. Rayo Vallecano vs AEK Athens and Mainz vs Strasbourg complete di quarter-final lineup.
For Shakhtar side, dem don overcome Lech Poznań 4-3 on aggregate for round of 16. AZ beat Sparta Praha 6-1 on aggregate for dia own round of 16 match. Both teams show say dem fit score goals, so di Kraków clash expect to be entertaining.
Di match venue change to Poland affect Shakhtar fans but Ukrainian supporters still dey expect dia team to perform. AZ fans like Marco Borsato dey hope say dia team go overcome di internal discipline issues and get good result away from home.
Coach Echteld decision to bench Daal show say discipline matter pass individual talent for im team. Whether dis go affect team performance or bring better focus, na wetin go show for di pitch come Thursday evening.
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