A 2-2 draw, achieved after a comeback from two goals down, means Luxembourg keep their place in Division C for the time being, and can start the next edition in the same group if they beat their play-off opponents in March.
Favourable results elsewhere also helped, but Luxembourg managed to end a disastrous Nations League campaign on a high note by scoring a quickfire double, courtesy of Seid Korać and Gerson Rodrigues. Their goals kept one point at home, which ended up being crucial, looking at some of the direct relegation rivals’ results.
In the end, Lithuania and Azerbaijan both failed to win their respective games and thus were relegated to Division D regardless of Luxembourg’s heroic comeback. Play-offs therefore remain the saving grace for the Grand-Duchy, who had started 2024 with brave ambitions of participating in a European Championship, but came up just short. The players never really had the same determination since, and it will take time for those wounds to heal.
Whether Luc Holtz will be the manager to cure those wounds remains a very open question, considering his contract is due to end next year and recent results have been far from satisfactory. He is not only losing the fans’ faith in him, but also that of some key players, including Maxime Chanot, who refused to join the camp for the foreseeable future, and the Thill brothers, who have often criticised the manager’s methods.
Both parties now have four months to either settle their grievances or find another way to go forward. However, despite Holtz’s recent failings, his experience cannot be replaced by anyone in or outside of the country before two of the most crucial games of the year – games that decide Luxembourg’s status in the competition for the next two years.
The two possible opponents are Malta and Gibraltar – both sounding absolutely must-win but the landscape in March will probably differ from the current one. Available players, injured ones or just new faces on the horizon can change a lot when it comes to a one-off knockout tie.
The light at the end of the tunnel
Let's not mince words: the campaign was disastrous in its near-entirety. However, there were some players who showed encouraging signs throughout. Perhaps the first name that comes to mind is Monday’s scorer Korać, who has also had mild arguments with Holtz in the past, but fought his way back into selection over the months.
His performances – especially in the absence of Chanot – helped Luxembourg remain defensively compact against all opponents. Korać, a no-nonsense centre-back when it comes to duels, loves diving into tackles and chasing down his marker with all his might.
The fans also appreciated his enthusiasm, and it was fitting that one of the biggest Luxembourg comebacks in recent history was fuelled by his goal, latching onto a free-kick from Danel Sinani.
Another name to highlight is Tiago Pereira Cardoso. Playing for your national team at the age of 18 brings with itself some added pressure, but that multiplies when you play as a goalkeeper, one of the most isolated roles out there.
In Moris’ absence, Pereira did a great job in his first two starts, and proved to be a perfect understudy. He has some room for improvement, and some might say Moris would have kept a clean sheet against Bulgaria, but the young Mönchengladbach goalie is making encouraging steps towards becoming the nation's number 1 in the future.
Farewell to a dedicated soldier
Long-time national team goalkeeper Ralph Schon announced his international retirement last Sunday, after eight years of travelling around the continent with the Luxembourg setup. He was very unlucky to have been born in the same generation as the country’s arguably best-ever ‘keeper Moris, but Schon still managed to amass a respectable 19 caps.
The latest of them came on Monday, when Holtz allowed him to make a 16-minute cameo, which caught Schon himself by surprise. It was an open game with a lot at stake, but Holtz’s gesture shows the faith he had in one of his longest-serving soldiers. Upon being subbed on, Tiago Pereira greeted him with a warm embrace once they swapped positions in goal.
After the game, Schon greeted the supporters, who cheered on him, thanking his commitment to the national setup even when he was mostly a second- or third-choice goalkeeper, unlikely to feature in the vast majority of the games. His exit might come after his realisation of having dropped further down Holtz’s pecking order, as the Bulgaria game was the first time that the manager chose a different candidate to replace the almost ever-present Moris. Holtz cited personal reasons in an official press conference.
Schon’s announcement now opens the door for a younger player to seize an opportunity and become a regular part of the national team. Lucas Fox and Tim Kips are the two most obvious choices. Both plying their trade in German lower divisions, Fox has already been drafted as an emergency call-up after Moris’ last-minute injury this month, while Kips also has European experience with club and country.
What happens now?
The draw for the Nations League relegation play-off will take place on Friday, 22 November. The possible opponents are Malta and Gibraltar.
The play-offs will be played on 26 and 31 March, with a home and an away game making up the two-legged tie.
Domestic football continues with BGL Ligue games on Saturday, 23 November, with no further international breaks until March.
