FC Twente has to compete against Fiorentina in a possible appearance in the play-offs of the Conference League. First, however, the team of trainer Ron Jans has to deal with the Serbian FK Cukaricki. AZ will face Riga FC or Gil Vicente as they eliminate Dundee United in the third qualifying round.
FC Twente has been hit a lot harder than the Alkmaarders.
Fiorentina finished seventh in Serie A last season and, unlike FC Twente, has already qualified for the play-offs, the last preliminary round in the tournament. Well-known names in the selection of the Italian team are Sofyan Amrabat and Luka Jovic.
Both FC Twente and AZ must therefore first get through the third preliminary round. The first legs at that stage will be played on Thursday. The tukkers will play against FK Cukaricki in Serbia on Thursday, after which the return will follow in Enschede a week later. AZ will meet Dundee United for the next two Thursdays, first in Scotland and a week later in Alkmaar.
AZ showed itself too strong for the Bosnian Tuzla City in the second preliminary round. In Alkmaar it was 1-0 for Pascal Jansen’s team and in the return the champions of 1981 and 2009 triumphed 0-4.
Group stage will be finished in a short time
The Conference League group stage starts on September 8 and ends on November 3. That short period of time has everything to do with the World Cup in Qatar. On November 21, the Netherlands and Senegal will start that tournament.
Earlier in the day it became clear that PSV will meet Rangers FC or Union Sint-Gillis in the play-offs of the Champions League if it settles with AS Monaco.