Football Season Guide

After some excellent seasons, culminating in their participation in the Conference League two years ago, the Arnhem-based team has suffered a vertical collapse due to the sale of important players resulting from financial problems. Vitesse finished last season in 10th position with 40 points. Long involved in the relegation struggle, they finally survived thanks to three wins in the last three games. The main problem that coach Phillip Cocu had to face was the lack of a center forward, given the disappointing performances of Bartosz Bialek and Gabriel Vidovic. He was long forced to field midfielder Matus Bero as a false nine. During the summer transfer market, the squad was further weakened as the two best midfielders (Matus Bero and Sondre Tronstad) left. As if that weren't enough, the loans of two usual starters such as goalkeeper Kjell Scherpen and defender Ryan Flamingo have not been renewed. At the moment the team appears incomplete especially in midfield and in attack as only three young players arrived in Arnhem: midfielder Mathijs Tielemans and striker Amine Boutrah, both inexperienced at this level and Bosnian interesting forward Said Hamulic, who can be the surprise of this tournament.