FC Twente’s arrival puts Gibraltar in the spotlight

Gibraltar has received something of a boost to its exposure, with FC Twente’s arrival on the Rock heavily promoted by the Dutch club across its social media networks.
The club, whose Facebook page alone has 262,000 followers, has been providing regular updates over the past few days as the team departed for Gibraltar and arrived on the Rock.
FC Twente face Lincoln Red Imps this evening in the Conference League, with the Dutch side considered favourites to win the tie.
Head coach John van den Brom’s squad departed from Münster/Osnabrück Airport on Wednesday afternoon for Gibraltar, according to the club’s social media accounts. However, four players were left out of the travelling squad: Lars Unnerstall, Filip Thorvaldsen, Stav Lemkin and Max Bruns. All four are not fully fit and will miss this evening’s match.
The Dutch club, whose technical director is former Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag, has already attracted considerable interest, with around 600 travelling fans initially expected to support the team at the Europa Sports Stadium. However, the latest figures point to some 300-350 visiting supporters having bought tickets.
“We want to finish high up in this main phase of the Conference League, and then it is important to win tomorrow. We know that will not be easy,” said Van den Brom during a recent press conference.
“We want to achieve something this season. We made a good start last week and want to continue along that path.”
The FC Twente head coach has left little to chance, explaining that the club has been studying Lincoln Red Imps and their performances closely.
“We have been able to analyse them well. Lincoln Red Imps have a great deal of experience, with players who have also played in other competitions. Our analysts have watched them in their domestic league and last week in Norway. We do not want to be caught by surprise. The days when you could find no information about an opponent are long gone.”
Van den Brom also spoke about the appeal of European football, with teams regularly facing unfamiliar surroundings.
“It is fantastic to be here. These are the great aspects of playing in Europe. You play in a different environment each time, but ultimately it is about playing your own game and winning that match.”
Meanwhile, goalkeeper Joël Drommel is expected to start for a fourth consecutive match.
Lincoln Red Imps, in the meantime, were still uncertain yesterday whether Bernardo Lopes would be included in the line-up, with concerns over his fitness following the previous day’s training session.
The Lincoln defender has played a key role in defence, although recent squad rotations have seen several central defensive partnerships emerge to cover different combinations.
Although firm underdogs, Lincoln Red Imps will be looking for another upset as they seek their first points in this season’s league phase. Having narrowly missed out on the knockout stages last season on goal difference, the club continues to aim high, with confidence reportedly at an all-time high.

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