Feyenoord threatens to miss out on European football due to the Eurovision Song Contest. If the final of the play-offs is reached tonight at the expense of Sparta Rotterdam, then according to The Telegraph there is a chance that the team of trainer Dick Advocaat will be regarded in advance as the loser of the final battle. The municipality of Rotterdam has indicated to the KNVB that it does not want football to be played in the stadium of Feyenoord on Saturday evening when the Eurovision Song Contest is going on a few kilometers away in Ahoy. Mayor Ahmed Aboutaleb fears disturbances with fans of Feyenoord, according to the newspaper.
If Feyenoord beats Sparta at home on Wednesday, the Advocaat team will take on the winner of the match between FC Groningen and FC Utrecht in the final. If Sparta wins, the final will be played outside of Rotterdam. The KNVB left to it on Monday Algemeen Dagblad know that a solution is being sought together with Feyenoord. It is not easy, as it is not allowed according to the regulations to move the match. The regulations of the KNVB state that if the final is canceled by the government, the match must be moved to a neutral location, on the same date and the same time.
The KNVB and Feyenoord are busy asking stadiums and mayors of other football cities if they are willing to organize a final with Feyenoord. According to the newspaper, there is hardly any willingness to do so, especially because the final was designated as a test event with an audience. If the match cannot be completed on neutral ground, the away team will be considered the winner. FC Utrecht or FC Groningen would therefore automatically qualify for the second heat of the Conference League. The KNVB has proposed to move the final for a day, but FC Utrecht and FC Groningen do not like that. They point to the regulations, which state that postponement is not allowed.
“I can hardly imagine that the mayor finds the Song Contest more important than Feyenoord”, Lawyer left nothing to be desired on Tuesday at the press moment in the run-up to Sparta home. “Or he must not understand football.” NOS reporter Bert Maalderink then stated that Aboutaleb as mayor is responsible for two major events on the same day. Nevertheless, the lawyer is not interested in that. “But what is more important?”, The Feyenoord coach wondered aloud. “Playing football is higher than the Eurovision Song Contest.”
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