Telstar and AZ Alkmaar will wear mourning bands in their match on Sunday following the death of Bartina Koeman. The 65-year-old mother of Telstar goalkeeper Ronald Koeman Jr. Passed away last week after a period of illness.
The match in Alkmaar now carries significant emotional weight for the Telstar shot-stopper. It remains uncertain whether Ronald Koeman Jr. will be available to play on Sunday. The player announced his mother's passing via an Instagram post from his father, former international and one-time AZ manager Ronald Koeman. Notably, the goalkeeper had revealed the birth of his own daughter just one week prior.
There will be no minute's silence before the kick-off. Supporters from both clubs are organising their own tributes, including banners and a star campaign that will be displayed on the stadium screens. The clubs themselves have decided that players will wear black armbands as a mark of respect.
The fixture against AZ represents a tough challenge for Telstar, who currently sit 13th in the Eredivisie with five points from six matches. Manager Andries Ulderink's side is on a two-game winning run, following a 2-1 victory at FC Volendam and a 3-0 home win against Heracles. A look at the full list of results this season shows inconsistent form. Sunday's opponents, AZ, are positioned much higher, sitting second in the standings.
The last meeting between the two sides, on 4 March this year, ended in a 2-1 defeat for Telstar. The coming weeks are key for the season's trajectory, which can be tracked in the fixtures. The personal grief of Koeman Jr. and his family will provide extra motivation for the entire squad to secure a positive result in Alkmaar. The match kicks off at 14:30 on Sunday.
First reported at AD Sport
