AZ licks its wounds after missing out on European final: ‘Am very sad’

“A big disappointment,” is how AZ player Tijjani Reijnders summed up missing out on the Conference League final. AZ got beaten in Alkmaar by West Ham United (0-1) and is licking its wounds.

“We went into the match with a lot of confidence, but we created too little in the final phase. The last pass was often just not clean enough, including mine to Vangelis Pavlidis.”

Pantelis Hatzidiakos was also saddened by the elimination, following the earlier 2-1 defeat in London. “I am very sad at this moment. We controlled the match for a large part. They came to play on the counter. I thought we were superior.”

Hatzidiakos: “I don’t even call those people AZ supporters. It’s pathetic what they did. Just come and watch and cheer us. Otherwise, just stay home if you have such intentions.”

Coach Pascal Jansen felt the same way. “Something like that does not belong in our stadium, in any stadium.”

Moreover, he could not yet be proud looking back on AZ’s European campaign, which ended in the last four. “This was over two games a missed opportunity. Right now the disappointment of not reaching the final prevails.”