Shakhtar vs AZ Alkmaar: introducing the opponents
Wednesday, April 8, 2026
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Shakhtar to face Dutch side AZ Alkmaar in the UEFA Conference League quarter-finals
April 9, Kraków, Henryk Reyman Municipal Stadium, 22:00
The live broadcast will be available on MEGOGO
History and path to the Conference League
AZ Alkmaar (Alkmaar Zaanstreek) was founded on May 10, 1967. Throughout its history, the club has been Dutch champions twice (1981, 2009), has won the national Cup four times (1978, 1981, 1982, 2013) and the Dutch Super Cup once (2009). Its highest achievement in European competition is reaching the UEFA Cup final in 1981, where the Alkmaar side lost to English club Ipswich Town (4-2, 0-3). The Cheese Farmers (the club’s nickname) were also the 2022/23 UEFA Conference League semi-finalists. Overall, the Red-and-Whites have competed in European competitions for 9 consecutive seasons, and last season, they finished 5th in the Eredivisie and reached the Dutch Cup final, securing a place in the Conference League qualifiers.
2025/26 season performance
AZ Alkmaar’s journey in the current UEFA Conference League began in the qualifying rounds, where they successively eliminated Finland’s Ilves (5-0, 3-4), Liechtenstein’s Vaduz (3-0, 1-0) and Bulgaria’s Levski (4-1, 2-0). In the league phase, the team started with a defeat against Cypriot side AEK (0-4), beat Slovakian club Slovan (1-0), lost to English side Crystal Palace (1-3), but finished strongly with victories over Ireland’s Shelbourne (2-0) and Kosovo’s Drita (3-0), as well as a draw with Poland’s Jagiellonia (0-0). In the final table, the Dutch side collected 10 points (goal difference: 7-7), finishing 14th and advancing to the play-offs. In the knockout round play-offs, the Red-and-Whites overcame Armenia’s Noah (4-0, 0-1), and in the round of 16, they confidently eliminated Czech side Sparta Praha (2-1, 4-0).
AZ Alkmaar have recorded 13 wins, 6 draws and 10 losses after 29 matches in the Eredivisie and currently sit 6th in the table with 45 points (goal difference: 49-45). The league leaders are already out of reach (PSV are 26 points ahead), while AZ are 8 points off a Champions League spot. They defeated Fortuna at home -n their most recent match (2-0).
Squad and leaders
AZ Alkmaar caretaker coach is 57-year-old Lee-Roy Echteld. He took charge of the team on January 18, 2026, having previously spent two years as head coach of Jong AZ and as an assistant coach of the Netherlands U21 national team. Under his management, the Alkmaar side have played 17 matches to date (10 wins, 2 draws, 5 losses). The captain is experienced midfielder Jordy Clasie, who has been at the club since 2019. The team’s leading scorers this season are Irish striker Troy Parrott (28 goals and 10 assists in 42 matches) and attacking midfielder Sven Mijnans (17 goals and 8 assists). The club’s most valuable player, according to Transfermarkt, is 20-year-old central midfielder Kees Smit (estimated value is EUR 25 million).
Head-to-head record
Shakhtar and AZ Alkmaar have met only once in official competitions. In the 2004/05 UEFA Cup Round of 16, the Miners were defeated both in Donetsk (1-3) and in Alkmaar (1-2). In July 2023, the teams met in a friendly match that ended in an entertaining draw (3-3). Overall, the Orange-and-Blacks have played 9 matches against Dutch clubs (2 wins, 1 draw, 6 losses), while AZ Alkmaar have faced Ukrainian sides 12 times (6 wins, 3 draws, 3 losses).
The Shakhtar vs AZ Alkmaar match will be refereed by officials from the United Kingdom: referee – Nicholas Walsh, assistant referees – Francis Connor and Daniel MacFarlane. VAR – Stuart Attwell, assistant VAR – Kevin Clancy.
The live broadcast will be available on MEGOGO
History and path to the Conference League
AZ Alkmaar (Alkmaar Zaanstreek) was founded on May 10, 1967. Throughout its history, the club has been Dutch champions twice (1981, 2009), has won the national Cup four times (1978, 1981, 1982, 2013) and the Dutch Super Cup once (2009). Its highest achievement in European competition is reaching the UEFA Cup final in 1981, where the Alkmaar side lost to English club Ipswich Town (4-2, 0-3). The Cheese Farmers (the club’s nickname) were also the 2022/23 UEFA Conference League semi-finalists. Overall, the Red-and-Whites have competed in European competitions for 9 consecutive seasons, and last season, they finished 5th in the Eredivisie and reached the Dutch Cup final, securing a place in the Conference League qualifiers.
2025/26 season performance
AZ Alkmaar’s journey in the current UEFA Conference League began in the qualifying rounds, where they successively eliminated Finland’s Ilves (5-0, 3-4), Liechtenstein’s Vaduz (3-0, 1-0) and Bulgaria’s Levski (4-1, 2-0). In the league phase, the team started with a defeat against Cypriot side AEK (0-4), beat Slovakian club Slovan (1-0), lost to English side Crystal Palace (1-3), but finished strongly with victories over Ireland’s Shelbourne (2-0) and Kosovo’s Drita (3-0), as well as a draw with Poland’s Jagiellonia (0-0). In the final table, the Dutch side collected 10 points (goal difference: 7-7), finishing 14th and advancing to the play-offs. In the knockout round play-offs, the Red-and-Whites overcame Armenia’s Noah (4-0, 0-1), and in the round of 16, they confidently eliminated Czech side Sparta Praha (2-1, 4-0).
AZ Alkmaar have recorded 13 wins, 6 draws and 10 losses after 29 matches in the Eredivisie and currently sit 6th in the table with 45 points (goal difference: 49-45). The league leaders are already out of reach (PSV are 26 points ahead), while AZ are 8 points off a Champions League spot. They defeated Fortuna at home -n their most recent match (2-0).
Squad and leaders
AZ Alkmaar caretaker coach is 57-year-old Lee-Roy Echteld. He took charge of the team on January 18, 2026, having previously spent two years as head coach of Jong AZ and as an assistant coach of the Netherlands U21 national team. Under his management, the Alkmaar side have played 17 matches to date (10 wins, 2 draws, 5 losses). The captain is experienced midfielder Jordy Clasie, who has been at the club since 2019. The team’s leading scorers this season are Irish striker Troy Parrott (28 goals and 10 assists in 42 matches) and attacking midfielder Sven Mijnans (17 goals and 8 assists). The club’s most valuable player, according to Transfermarkt, is 20-year-old central midfielder Kees Smit (estimated value is EUR 25 million).
Head-to-head record
Shakhtar and AZ Alkmaar have met only once in official competitions. In the 2004/05 UEFA Cup Round of 16, the Miners were defeated both in Donetsk (1-3) and in Alkmaar (1-2). In July 2023, the teams met in a friendly match that ended in an entertaining draw (3-3). Overall, the Orange-and-Blacks have played 9 matches against Dutch clubs (2 wins, 1 draw, 6 losses), while AZ Alkmaar have faced Ukrainian sides 12 times (6 wins, 3 draws, 3 losses).
The Shakhtar vs AZ Alkmaar match will be refereed by officials from the United Kingdom: referee – Nicholas Walsh, assistant referees – Francis Connor and Daniel MacFarlane. VAR – Stuart Attwell, assistant VAR – Kevin Clancy.