The line-up of AZ for the Conference League match with Dnipro-1 is known. Pascal Jansen opts for the same starting eleven as in the past two matches, in which FC Vaduz (1-2) and FC Volendam (2-1) were won. That means that Vangelis Pavalidis, who made his comeback against Volendam after a two-month injury, will start on the bench. The match in Alkmaar starts at 6.45 pm.
Hobie Verhulst is under the bar at the Alkmaarders, with four defenders in front of him: Pantelis Hatzidiakos is the right back, Sam Beukema and Maxim Dekker form the central duo and on the left is again Milos Kerkez. The three-man midfield is formed by Tijjani Reijnders, Dani de Wit and Jordy Clasie. De Wit was sent off with a red card against Volendam on Sunday, but his suspension does not apply to the Conference League.
??? ??????? ??????????? for the last home game of 2022!#AZ #azdni #UECL pic.twitter.com/V3WmK6ayvu
— AZ (@AZAlkmaar) Nov 3, 2022
In the vanguard are Yukinari Sugawara, Jens Odgaard and Jesper Karlsson. Jansen already announced at the press conference in the run-up to the duel with Dnipro-1 that he does not want to take any risks with Pavlidis. “We had been told that Vangelis could play for a maximum of half an hour (against Volendam, ed.), but including injury time it became almost half. Fortunately, he was able to train well the next day. He could play a half on Thursday, but we are not going to look it up,” said the coach on Wednesday.
AZ is already certain of wintering in the Conference League. With twelve points from five matches, it is the leader of Group E. In second place, with two points less, is Dnipro-1. A draw is therefore enough for AZ to become group winner. If defeated, it ends in second place.
AZ . setup: Concealed; Hatzidiakos, Beukema, Dekker, Kerkez; Reijnders, De Wit, Clasie; Sugawara, Pavlidis, Karlsson.