UEFA Europa League: Dutch Teams Face Stiff Challenges in New Format
Amsterdam, Netherlands – In the newly formatted UEFA Europa League, Dutch clubs Ajax, AZ Alkmaar, and FC Twente have been drawn against some formidable opponents. The tough draw was announced on Friday, and it promises to be a challenging season for the Dutch sides.
Ajax, one of the most successful clubs in the Netherlands, will face a mixture of familiar and challenging foes. The Amsterdam-based team was drawn against Slavia Prague away, a match that could be considered one of their easier encounters from the highest tier pot 1. However, the Amsterdammers will also have to contend with Italian side Lazio at home, as well as two Turkish teams, Galatasaray and Besiktas, both of which will travel to Amsterdam. Galatasaray boasts former Ajax players Davinson Sanchez and Hakim Ziyech, while Besiktas is managed by former Dutch international Giovanni van Bronckhorst. Ajax will also face Real Sociedad in a difficult away match, with their remaining fixtures against Maccabi Tel Aviv, Qarabag, and RFS.
AZ Alkmaar was given a particularly challenging draw, with home matches against AS Roma and Fenerbahce, managed by Jose Mourinho, and an away match against Tottenham Hotspur. The team will also welcome Galatasaray to the AFAS Stadion and face off against Elfsborg at home. AZ’s away fixtures include matches against last season’s Spanish cup winner Athletic Bilbao, Ludogorets, who have dominated the Bulgarian championship for 12 consecutive seasons, and Ferencvaros from Hungary.
FC Twente, another Dutch side, will face the English Premier League giants Manchester United away in a match that will pit them against former Twente player and coach Erik ten Hag. Their toughest home match will likely be against Lazio. Twente will also host Fenerbahce and Besiktas, with their other home fixture against Belgian team Union Saint Gilloise. Away matches will take them to Athens to face Olympiacos, Sweden to face Malmo, and France to face Nice.
This season marks the first of the new UEFA Europa League format, which has expanded to include all 36 teams in one big league. Each team will face eight opponents, with the top eight sides automatically qualifying for the knockout stages. Teams finishing between ninth and 24th place will compete in a two-legged play-off to secure a spot in the last 16.
The schedule for the match dates is set to be released on Saturday, and fans of Dutch football will be eager to see how their teams fare in what promises to be a thrilling and competitive season.
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