The journey of FC Groningen throughout the 2013/2014 season was a masterclass in resilience. From a chaotic, card-heavy autumn to a spectacular spring revival, it all came down to one final match. In his “De Warming Up” column for the playoff final return leg against AZ Alkmaar on May 18, 2014, manager Erwin van de Looi captures the electric anticipation of a club standing on the threshold of Europe.
Under the headline “Tot de laatste minuut in de race” (In the race until the last minute), Van de Looi sets the stakes: a ticket to the second qualifying round of the Europa League. He reflects on the stunning semi-final victory over Vitesse, where a narrow 1-0 home win was followed by an absolute 1-4 demolition of the Arnhem side away from home. “After the 1-2, Vitesse took more and more risks and more spaces opened up. We were very dangerous ourselves and deservedly won,” he writes with palpable pride.
The manager also reveals a staggering statistic that defined their late-season surge: “FC Groningen won up to last Thursday no less than eight matches in a row.” This incredible momentum was the weapon they brought into the final against AZ. Van de Looi acknowledges AZ’s tactical flexibility—noting they switch between a 4-3-3 and a 5-3-2 system—and their extensive European experience. But his closing message to the Euroborg faithful is a battle cry: “We want to put down a result today with possibilities… We take all scenarios into account and have to go full throttle!”
A Look into the Future
The momentum Van de Looi built was unstoppable. FC Groningen successfully dispatched AZ Alkmaar (winning this home leg 3-0), crowning their miraculous spring revival with a ticket to the UEFA Europa League qualifiers. The tactical discipline and winning mentality forged during this intense 8-match winning streak and subsequent playoff run became the absolute foundation of the club’s identity. Exactly one year later, Van de Looi would use this exact same blueprint for knockout football to lead the Pride of the North to their first-ever major trophy: the 2015 KNVB Cup. This column is the prologue to that golden era.