AZ begin their Europa League campaign away to Sunderland on Wednesday. The English side fell away badly and for years were known mainly because of the Netflix series Sunderland 'Til I Die. Now, though, their football is doing the talking. Voetbalzone speaks ahead of the European clash with club watcher Philip Smith of the Sunderland Echo about the people's club from north-east England.
By Rian Rosendaal
Popular Dutchmen
Robin Roefs and Brian Brobbey are especially popular with Sunderland supporters, Smith says ahead of the Europa League meeting at the Stadium of Light. ''Roefs played excellently last season and the fans were pleased that he recently signed a new contract. There were fears that his good form would attract the attention of Champions League clubs. He radiates calm and reliability, exactly what every supporter wants from a goalkeeper.''
Brobbey, who joined from Ajax in 2025 for €20 million, also gets glowing praise from the Sunderland watcher. ''Brobbey has grown into a genuine cult hero among the fans, partly because he scored the winning goal in stoppage time last season in the away match against arch-rivals Newcastle United. On top of that, the supporters hugely appreciate that he is an old-fashioned striker, a type that is rarely seen in modern football these days.''
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Brobbey is under contract at Sunderland until 30 June 2029, with Sunderland having lost 0-2 at home to reigning champions Arsenal in a turbulent match last Saturday. Even so, the powerful forward could leave before then. ''It is possible, because several very big clubs are monitoring his development closely'', Smith knows. ''Not only in the Premier League, but also during the World Cup. If we look at the step towards becoming an established striker in the Champions League, scoring more often is probably what Brobbey still needs to add to his game. Of course Sunderland need to create more worked chances for him for that to happen, but this is probably the area in which he can still take another step forward.''
Last season Sunderland finished an impressive seventh in the Premier League after promotion. That earned them a place in the league phase of the Europa League. It is an exciting prospect, but the packed schedule could also bring problems. ''There is both enthusiasm and some concern. The priority clearly lies in finding stability in the Premier League and it is difficult to judge what we can expect in Europe, although English clubs do have an excellent record in these competitions thanks to their financial advantage. I think most supporters would be very satisfied with a mid-table place in the league and a successful adventure in the Europa League'', predicts the club watcher from the local newspaper.
Are Sunderland looking forward to AZ?
Right now, all eyes are on AZ, joint leaders in the VriendenLoterij Eredivisie, who visit the Stadium of Light. It is a fixture that matters to The Black Cats, even if it is not Ajax, PSV or Feyenoord making the trip to England. ''It certainly does'', laughs Smith. ''This is Sunderland’s first European match in 53 years. So it is a special evening. Not only for the club but also for the city. There will be a special atmosphere and everyone is hugely looking forward to the match. As for AZ: it is true that most of us do not know a great deal about the club, but there is a lot of respect for their start to the season and for the fact that they have far more European experience than Sunderland.''
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Régis Le Bris is the manager tasked with delivering European success this season. The 50-year-old Frenchman arrived at Sunderland in 2024 and secured promotion to the Premier League a year later. Their first season back in the top flight was a resounding success. Sunderland collected 54 points, their highest Premier League tally since 2001. The Stadium of Light also became an almost impregnable fortress, which secured a European place. For the fans, the standout moments were the two wins over rivals Newcastle United. Le Bris is therefore held in extremely high regard by supporters of the current number fourteen, Smith also knows.
''Without doubt he is one of Sunderland’s best managers of the modern era. A quarter of a century ago, Peter Reid achieved seventh place in the Premier League twice after promotion. But the gap between the Championship and the Premier League is much bigger nowadays. Le Bris’s achievement last season was therefore astonishing. Most people would probably still put Reid at the top of their list, but Le Bris belongs in that same bracket. And if he has another good season, he may even be regarded as the best manager ever'', Smith is also hugely impressed by the French coach.
Drama run in England
AZ, meanwhile, are chasing their first ever win on English soil on Wednesday. The Alkmaar side have previously suffered heavy defeats to Arsenal and Manchester United, among others. In 2023, AZ were no match for West Ham United in the semi-finals of the Conference League, with the English side eventually going on to win the competition. Aston Villa also proved too strong that same year. In the 2024/25 season, AZ lost twice to Tottenham Hotspur in the Europa League. Last season, Leeroy Echteld’s team lost 3-1 to eventual winners Crystal Palace in the Conference League despite a goal from Sven Mijnans, who has since moved to PSV.