The line-up of AZ for the game against Celtic in the play-offs of the Europa League has been announced. Jansen cannot rely on Jesper Karlsson. The Swede has been suspended for his red card against Rijeka in the last group match of the Europa League last season. If AZ survives the diptych with Celtic, then next season will play in the group stage of the Europa League. If the Scottish number two of the past season comes out as the winner, AZ will play in the group stage of the Conference League. The game at Celtic Park, which will be attended by 50,000 fans, starts tonight at 8.45 pm.
Most discussed man in the run-up to the meeting with the Scots was Teun Koopmeiners. The captain was kept out of the starting line-up by Jansen on Saturday for the game against RKC Waalwijk because he “only wanted players who are focused on AZ”. Jansen did not want to comment on a possible starting place during the closing press conference on Tuesday. “It would be very special if a lot has changed in a few days,” Jansen told the Noordhollands Dagblad. “So what I said then, I also now include in my consideration regarding Teun. Yes, the strength of the opponent also plays a role in that consideration. We may make different choices for this match. That may also mean a different setup.” On Wednesday evening, AZ announces that Koopmeiners will return to the base.
The goal will be defended by Hobie Verhulst on Wednesday evening, Jansen indicated during the press conference. With this he keeps newcomer Peter Vindahl Jensen on the bench for the time being. The Danish goalkeeper came over from Nordsjaelland and is seen as the intended successor of Marco Bizot who left for Stade Brest. Jensen starts on the bench against Celtic. “He has only been with us for a few days and gets a lot of new impressions to process. We give him time to adjust slowly. Hobie Verhulst will therefore be on target again against Celtic,” Jansen said on Tuesday.
On the Celtic side, Odsonne Édouard’s reserve turn is striking. The 23-year-old striker was good for a goal and assist in the game against Hearts (3-2 win) last weekend. The former Paris Saint-Germain youth player has been Scotland’s top scorer twice so far; in 175 appearances for Celtic, he scored 85 goals and 39 assists. According to English media, Celtic recently refused an offer of 23 million euros for Édouard of Brighton & Hove Albion.
The match between Celtic and AZ is not broadcast on Dutch television. In the preliminary round of the Europa League, home clubs can determine where the matches are broadcast. Celtic has decided to broadcast the game exclusively through their own club channel. “AZ finds it extremely disappointing that no Dutch broadcaster has managed to obtain the rights that lie with the home playing club in this round. Such a poster, which is also of enormous importance for Dutch football, deserves to be broadcast. For AZ unclear reasons, the rights holder and Dutch broadcasters have not come together,” the club from Alkmaar said.
AZ setup: concealed; Sugawara, Martins Indi, Letschert, Oosting; Koopmeiners, De Wit, Midtsjö; Aboukhlal, Pavlidis, Gudmundsson
Celtic lineup: Heart; Ralston, Starfelt, Welsh, Taylor; Turnbull, McGregor, Roger; Forrest, Furuhashi, Abada