Playoff football is a completely different beast than the regular season. It is a high-wire act where a single mistake can end a campaign, making the role of the goalkeeper absolutely critical. Page 2 of the May 18, 2014 matchday programme proves that FC Groningen fans knew exactly who to thank for keeping their European dreams alive in the semi-final against Vitesse.
The “Essent Speler van het Jaar” section announces the SMS voting results from the tense 1-0 home victory in the first leg of that semi-final. The winner was goalkeeper Marco Bizot, who claimed 29% of the vote. What makes this victory so significant is who he beat: left-back Lorenzo Burnet finished second with 27%, despite being the player who actually scored the winning goal! For the fans at the Euroborg to vote for the goalkeeper over the goalscorer in a 1-0 playoff win speaks volumes about the sheer quality and importance of Bizot’s saves that evening.
The text also adds a neat administrative note: because the regular season was over, this specific Man of the Match vote did not count towards the overall Player of the Year standings, which had already been definitively won by Filip Kostić. This meant the vote was a pure, isolated token of gratitude for Bizot. As we documented in earlier issues, Bizot had endured a grueling emotional season following the leukemia diagnosis of his goalkeeper coach. To see him stand tall and deliver a flawless performance in the highest-pressure match of the year was a beautiful narrative resolution.
A Look into the Future
This playoff campaign was Marco Bizot‘s glorious farewell to the Euroborg. His stellar performances between the sticks secured him a transfer to Belgian side KRC Genk that summer. He would eventually return to the Eredivisie to break all-time clean sheet records with AZ Alkmaar, earning call-ups to the Dutch national team and securing a move to Stade Brestois in France’s Ligue 1. Looking back at this 2014 programme, it captures a young goalkeeper at the exact moment he proved he possessed the mental fortitude required for elite European football.