Pro ShotsThe new captain Ricky van Wolfswinkel during training
NOS Voetbal•vandaag, 12:24
FC Twente will face Red Bull Salzburg tonight in the third preliminary round of the Champions League. Salzburg coach Pepijn Lijnders already warned that the Twente players should not be underestimated.
“It’s a club that’s not very well known in Austria and some will underestimate them, but don’t make that mistake,” said the Dutchman.
FC Twente coach Joseph Oosting only needed a return trip from the training complex in Hengelo to Emmen and a walk around the block before he had everything in order. When the selection stepped onto the airport from Twente Airport yesterday morning, everyone already knew what to expect, writes the regional broadcaster East.
Twente-Salzburg at NOS
The Champions League preliminary round match between Red Bull Salzburg and FC Twente can be followed live by NOS via a live blog on NOS.nl and the NOS app and via flashes in RadiOlympia on NPO Radio 1.
“As a coach you always have question marks. You take them into consideration, but last weekend I was pretty quick about it,” Oosting said during the press conference prior to the short training session in the Red Bull Arena.
Salzburg coach Lijnders gave the club from Enschede some compliments during yesterday’s press conference:
Lijnders: ‘Twente is of Champions League level’
The 52-year-old Drent does not want to share who will play for Twente yet, but there seems a good chance that the left wing will be manned by Mitchell van Bergen, Carel Eiting will play next to Mathias Kjølø, the backs will be called Youri Regeer and Anass Salah-Eddine and the heart of the defense will be formed by Alec van Hoorenbeeck and Mees Hilgers.
New captain
It is certain that Ricky van Wolfswinkel is part of Oosting’s regular squad. With the departure of captain Robin Pröpper to Rangers FC and the absence of injured fire-eater Michal Sadilek, the 35-year-old striker is perhaps the most important player in the group for the time being. “You don’t expect your captain to leave in the week before this match, but we are flexible and have solved it.”
Pro ShotsJoseph Oosting and Ricky van Wolfswinkel during the press conference
That Van Wolfswinkel has the captain’s armband on his arm tonight should come as no surprise. “He is an informal leader,” says Oosting. “Not visible to the outside world, but taking responsibility,” he explains.
Van Wolfswinkel with a wink: “The first week I only trained my left arm to be able to get around that tire. Robin’s biceps are a bit bigger.” He continues seriously: “I do my own thing. It’s not up to me to fill Robin’s shoes. We have multiple leaders and everyone fulfills that role in their own way. This is not going to change me.”
Underdog
Enough has been said and written about the opponent Red Bull Salzburg. World stars Sadio Mané and Erling Haaland, among others, grew up there. Every year, tens of football millions flow in the direction of Mozart’s birthplace. As a result, FC Twente is the underdog in advance, but there are always chances.
Pro ShotsFC Twente coach Joseph Oosting during training
At Red Bull Salzburg, for example, it has been about Karim Konaté for days. The 20-year-old striker from Ivory Coast is the Austrians’ big eye-catcher. It is not yet clear whether he will be there at all. He was absent from the last training due to knee problems.
Oosting: “It makes no difference to us. We assume that Konaté will simply play,” he concludes.
