Koopmeiners brothers set for first competitive meeting as AZ host Juventus

What happened

Teun and Peer Koopmeiners are set to face each other in a competitive match for the first time when AZ Alkmaar meet Juventus in the fourth round of the Europa League league phase, according to Corriere dello Sport. The newspaper frames the fixture as a family affair, noting that the brothers had previously crossed paths only in a summer friendly between the Dutch side and Atalanta. Peer, two years younger than Teun, captains AZ, while Teun is the Juventus midfielder.

Report details

The match carries a second storyline for Juventus, with the report saying Luciano Spalletti is tasked with preserving the club's unbeaten record in international competition. The article also describes Teun helping Spalletti explain AZ's style to his Juventus teammates at Continassa the day before the game. Teun said he told his colleagues that AZ always try to play the ball even under pressure and press again immediately after losing it, adding that Juventus must be careful when they are not controlling play because the Dutch side bring intensity and energy.

The family dimension runs through the report. The brothers grew up in Castricum, about eleven kilometres from Alkmaar, and the whole family was expected at the stadium, including grandfather Jan, who used to take Teun to training while Peer was still at school. Teun said Jan was hoping for a 2-2 draw because it would be better for the family, and that he had read several amusing messages in the WhatsApp chat. He described his father Remco as anxious and unsure whether he could last 90 minutes in the stands, sometimes leaving before matches finish, while mother Sandra was the happiest but could not and would not choose between her sons. Teun also said he had requested 40 tickets and had brought twelve shirts for friends, calling Alkmaar his home for many years.

Peer, described as a mezzala who could operate in the same area of the pitch as his brother, said he hoped not to have to challenge Teun too much but would do what was necessary. He said Teun should celebrate if he scored, though Peer would go and speak to him after the match, and he acknowledged it would be a surprise if AZ won. Peer assessed that Teun has a better left foot and runs, while he considers himself stronger tactically. He said difficulties happen to any player, that Teun is now calm, playing and improving, and that Juventus remains his brother's dream. Peer added that he likes Serie A and has always said so, but that he was not close to Bologna in the summer.

Teun, for his part, said it would be even nicer once he had won, and played down the comparison with his brother by joking that he did not know about the tactical side but that Peer had certainly been better at school. On the prospect of a goal, he said he would celebrate with moderation, describing himself as a calm person who has never celebrated excessively, and that he would show respect toward AZ depending on the result. The brothers have also written a children's book together with the backing of the municipality of Castricum, due out a week after the match; Peer said the timing was right and that he would not add a chapter if he won, recalling that as children they played a lot in the street, though he was smaller and always lost. He said they had spoken more on the phone in recent days but did not talk only about football.