Tuesday, August 22, 2023 at 5:43 PM • Noel Korteweg
AZ may again participate in the Youth League this year. The Alkmaarders won the prestigious youth tournament last season, but it was uncertain for a long time whether the club could participate again because AZ Under 18 did not become champion and the main force does not play in the Champions League.
UEFA confirmed to AZ on Tuesday that the highest youth team can participate again. This is due to a special arrangement, in which the winner of the previous edition receives a ticket that is ‘left over’. “The condition for this is that at least one club in Europe with its Under 18 or Under 19 team becomes national champion and simultaneously qualifies for the Champions League with its main squad. The latter automatically also means participation in the Youth League,” AZ explains on the website.
Partly because Manchester City won the Premier League last season and Real Madrid finished second in LaLiga, that condition has been met. “With this, both teams have secured a Champions League ticket. Their youth teams also achieved the necessary success. In this way, AZ enters the domestic champions path, where it also started in the past two seasons.” In addition to the Alkmaarders, Feyenoord and PSV are also participating in the Youth League this season.
AZ surprised friend and foe last season by seizing the Youth League. The Alkmaarders defeated, among others, superpowers FC Barcelona (0-3) and Real Madrid (4-0) before convincingly defeated Hajduk Split (5-0) in the final. Wouter Goes, Ernest Poku and Mexx Meerdink, among others, who made an impression in the Youth League, have now been transferred to AZ’s main force.
Related
More sports news
2023-08-22 22:00:00
#hear #UEFA #allowed #participate #Youth #League #season
