The atmosphere at the Euroborg during the European playoffs is notoriously electric, but sometimes that passion spills over the edge. Page 15 of the May 18, 2014 matchday programme features a highly specific, slightly anxious plea from the FC Groningen board to its supporters ahead of the grand final against AZ Alkmaar.
Under the headline “GROOT FEEST” (Big Party), the club addresses a growing problem. “Since early March, FC Groningen has repeatedly expressed concern about the many objects that are regularly thrown onto and towards the pitch,” the text reads. The club had met with supporter groups to tackle the issue, warning that stricter actions would be taken. “FC Groningen trusts that all supporters today will want to make the very last match of this season in Euroborg a big party and that no objects will be thrown onto the pitch.”
The anxiety was heightened by the presence of the refereeing team. As we noted in the previous article, the KNVB had sent a six-man squad to officiate the match. The programme proudly points out that the man in the middle, Björn Kuipers, was using this match as his final warm-up before refereeing the UEFA Champions League final between Real Madrid and Atlético Madrid in Lisbon just six days later. The club desperately wanted to avoid a scenario where a world-class referee had to suspend the match due to a thrown beer cup.
A Look into the Future
The fans heeded the warning. The match was a spectacular, incident-free 3-0 victory for FC Groningen, securing their European ticket. The “Big Party” the club asked for was delivered in full. Looking ahead, the news block on the same page teased the rewards of this success: the club announced a pre-season friendly against Premier League side Aston Villa for August 2nd. The 2013/2014 season was officially closing, but the promise of European nights and high-profile summer friendlies ensured the excitement at the Euroborg would carry straight through the summer.