Vitesse expects to play against NS Mura on Thursday evening, but is strongly opposed to continuing the match. Because competitor Tottenham Hotspur does not play against Stade Rennes, an ‘unfair playing field’ is created, according to Vitesse. After all, the results of Vitesse and Tottenham are intertwined and that is why the matches should be played simultaneously, according to general manager Pascal van Wijk. The match between Vitesse and Mura is scheduled for 9 p.m. ?
“Today has been a very strange day”, Van Wijk looks back in front of the camera of ESPN. He speaks of ‘a roller coaster’. “It went from high to low. Continue, do not continue… Of course that started last night, when Tottenham stated on their own website that they did not want to play. I had contact with my French colleague from Stade Rennes today and he indicated on the way back We have had a lot of contact with everything and everyone today.” Van Wijk emphasizes that everyone’s health comes first. He calls the situation at Tottenham, which is struggling with a large number of corona infections, ‘terrible’.
“This can happen to anyone,” he emphasizes. “It is terrible what is happening there, let’s put that first. We have had contact with everything and everyone today. It is very annoying to be in uncertainty for so long, also towards the supporters. They also wanted to know what is happening and what we are doing about it. For us, it is paramount that there must be a level playing field. You must complete this competition fairly. Everyone knows how great the interests are: we can both finish second. Then it cannot be the case that one match goes through and the other doesn’t. That’s just unfair.”
Vitesse comes with statement about ‘undesirable situation’ in Conference League
Vitesse already expressed the dissatisfaction in an official statement on Thursday.
Tottenham and Vitesse compete for a place in the knockout phase of the Conference League. They have the same number of points; the goal difference is in favor of Tottenham (+3 versus +1). “Even if we win today, we don’t know anything yet,” says Van Wijk. “But then Tottenham will know what to do. Yet it seems that we will play tonight. We do not want to play, we have also clearly informed UEFA. The crux is where they move the match, because we want to play simultaneously. Then you create a fair playing field.”
Vitesse called in legal help this morning. “Yes, we did that at 08:00 this morning. We drew up a letter with an internal and external lawyer,” says Van Wijk, referring to a letter that was sent to UEFA. “We have been in contact with the KNVB, UEFA and an external lawyer. We have been in contact with each other all day.” However, there was ‘zero’ contact with Tottenham Hotspur. “It is up to UEFA. UEFA has to decide what happens. Theoretically, an agreement could be reached in the coming hours on when the game will be made up.”
Vitesse is clearly heading for the decision game:
“We don’t want to play now because that other game is cancelled”
? 21.00 o’clock
?? ESPN
#?? #VITMUR pic.twitter.com/UtECOdDdMf— ESPN NL (@ESPNnl) Dec 9, 2021
“Then we could switch quickly and determine when we can play. But you have to deal with several parties. Tottenham has a very busy program. But if they move a match, and we can do that in consultation with a number of parties, then we want that. We just don’t want to play now,” says Van Wijk. “The game has to be played before December 31. But if we refuse to play tonight, and no new date is found for Tottenham – Rennes, there is bound to be an Article 11(G) which states that the score will remain as it is. Then we don’t have anything yet.”