It will be an unforgettable week for the indoor football players of FC Marlène. The club from Heerhugowaard is entering the Champions League for the first time. It promises to be a special, but also difficult week for the players. “The opponents have to have a bad day and we have a good day. Then we have a chance,” says coach Mo Bouchibti.
The selection and staff have been looking forward to the adventure in the Champions League for weeks. Because Marlène became national champion last year (for the first time), it was invited to the tournament. “We are really looking forward to it,” says player Aaike Verschoor.
To actually make a good impression, an amount of 9,000 euros had to be raised. The club managed to achieve this through crowdfunding and all kinds of campaigns. “It’s better to ask what we didn’t do,” Verschoor laughs.
In Burela in Northern Spain, Marlène will compete against the national champions of Spain, Italy and Portugal. That means meetings with Burela, Benfica and Bitonto. The first match is Tuesday evening against Burela, which is considered the favorite.