FC Twente are forced to cut short their warm-up abruptly: match postponed

FC Twente were forced to abandon their warm-up on Thursday evening ahead of the crucial return leg against Qarabag FK. A heavy thunderstorm over Baku sent the players back inside shortly before kick-off.

Norwegian referee Rohit Saggi took the decision. "Warm-up abandoned due to thunderstorm," FC Twente said via their official channels. "The players have had to abandon the warm-up."

According to the Tukkers, it was not responsible to stay on the pitch in those conditions. "A heavy thunderstorm over Baku meant the Norwegian referee sent the teams inside. It is not yet known how long the delay will last."

Twente were due to kick off the return leg in the Conference League play-offs at 6pm Dutch time. John van den Brom's side are not defending a favourable position in Azerbaijan after Qarabag won 1-0 at De Grolsch Veste last week.

The task is clear. A two-goal win would send the Tukkers into the league phase of the Conference League, while a victory by one goal would take the tie to extra time.

For the return leg, Van den Brom has made two changes to his starting XI. Max Bruns and Younes Taha come in, while Aske Adelgaard and Marko Pjaca drop to the bench compared to the first leg.

In goal is Lars Unnerstall, with Bart van Rooij, Robin Pröpper, Ruud Nijstad and Bruns in defence. Ramiz Zerrouki and Daouda Weidmann form the holding pair, while Daan Rots again plays as the number 10. Up front, Van den Brom has gone with Taha, Wout Weghorst and Sondre Ørjasæter.

FC Twente line-up: Unnerstall; Van Rooij, Pröpper, Nijstad, Bruns; Zerrouki, Rots, Weidmann; Taha, Weghorst, Ørjasæter.