Niederkorn in trouble, and other football news around Luxembourg

Progrès Niederkorn and UNA Strassen saw their chances of Euro-qualification falter after respective defeats to Wiltz and Dudelange. The Wasps can be especially concerned given they were leading for most of the game, and squandered many more chances than the Northerners who eventually scored the decider in stoppage time.

Another round of bad news hit Progrès soon afterwards: their first request for a UEFA license was rejected on Friday on sporting and financial grounds. They are expected to appeal the decision, and will get a final response next month. If they have their license rescinded (just like Swift Hesper, Fola Esch and Rodange 91 already certainly do), they will be ineligible to participate in any continental competition next season.

For a team of Niederkorn’s stature, such a blow would be completely unexpected and quite challenging to manage in the short term. The club’s budget relies on a steady stream of prize money coming from the UEFA competitions, where a good run could be strengthened by the rumoured arrival of the Thill brothers, Sébastien and Olivier, in the summer.
Without European competition, and the money it brings, such moves might be considered luxurious and threaten their prospects beyond 2025/26 from a financial point of view. Out of the cup, the club’s only hope is to now secure a top-three finish in the league and have their ban withdrawn by UEFA.

F91 Dudelange click on the pitch, not so much off it

It was a bigger surprise. and perhaps more seismic,  to hear that  F91 being are in the same shoes as their black-and-yellow rivals when it comes to obtaining a European permit.

F91 have been rampant throughout the season, and are standalone favourites to finish second behind champions Differdange – having been their sternest and most consistent competitors in 2024/25.

They have been equally formidable in the Cup, and nullified a usually ruthless Strassen side, their dominance rewarded in a 4-2 win – thanks to a magnificent direct free kick from Miguel Gonçalves and another goal from talisman Samir Hadji, among others.

Despite changing head coach mid-season, and trusting Mikael Pinto with his first senior managerial role, the team has adapted very well to the circumstances after losing some key players in the summer and cutting back on the budget.

The result came as no surprise, as Dudelange have been relentless. Conference League qualification has never been in doubt, despite cautious predictions before the season kicked off. The only blight in their season unfolded after European football’s governing body found their accounts unsatisfactory at first attempt – depriving them the chance to take part in any of their competitions.

Despite a season’s hard work, F91 could yet see the initial verdict upheld, which would undoubtedly result in a major squad overhaul. Players on the current roster are accustomed to preparing for away trips across the continent, and their salaries reflect their status. Any drop in standards would likely cause a lot of immediate departures, and a serious rethink about the club’s aims for the future.

Resende leaves on a high note

FC Differdange’s title-winning manager, Pedro Resende, has finally announced his decision to let his contract run down and seek for a new challenge after the 2024/25 season concludes in May.

Differdange won their first-ever national championship title since their 2003 establishment last year, and followed it up  with an even more commanding display, winning 23 out of 25 games in the league so far –  confirming their title defence with five games to go.

Resende, who remain in the Cup, has the opportunity to win the domestic double, something no Luxembourgish side has achieved since 2019, when  F91 Dudelange dominated the Luxembourgish football league under current Frankfurt manager Dino Toppmöller.

The latest opponents on the road to a showpiece Stade de Luxembourg appearance were Union Titus Pétange, who held their own and showed defensive organisation and resilience for most of the game. If you cast your mind back, they stopped Differdange in the same competition last year, and maintained confidence in affirming themselves as a nemesis by repeating the feat on Wednesday.

However, thanks to a long-distance curler from Diogo Silva, and a lightning-fast counter-attack finished neatly by Dylan Lempereur, it wasn’t to be for Union. Although they were far from their best, Differdange did just enough to build on their solid defensive foundations to see a tricky game through to the end – despite the pouring rain – to book their place in the semi-finals.

Another piece of silverware would unquestionably cement Pedro Resende’s place amongst the club’s icons, in case anyone is still disputing his achievements. His next destination is still unknown, although he has recently mentioned offers from Portugal and Romania that he has rejected, pointing to a wide variety of suitors in different countries outside of the Grand Duchy.

If he stays within the league, it would be difficult to find a more suitable project for him than the FCD one was. Dudelange and Niederkorn are still entangled in administrative issues, Strassen and Racing FCUL have only recently appointed permanent managers, while Swift Hesper are facing a difficult summer on a shoestring budget, and the board dynamics would certainly not favour the fiery Resende’s way of working.

End of the road for Minerva

Minnows Minerva Lëntgen were the only lower-league team left in the competition, reaching this stage as fourth-division amateurs. In previous rounds, they eliminated semi-professionals Atert Bissen, and two third-tier sides; namely,  Belval Belvaux and Echternach, making it their best-ever campaign in history.

Their next opponents, Racing FCUL, represented a sizable jump in quality, but Minerva were intent on causing another upset, and to continue playing the role of being this year's most successful underdog. They were full of confidence and motivation, too, after they secured their fourth-division title last weekend, crowning an unbelievable season with a promotion.

For only the second time in all competitions this season, though, the crowd in Lëntgen had to witness an away win. Racing found it hard to break a seemingly impenetrable defence in the first half-hour, but were ruthless in exposing every lapse of concentration afterwards: Okpo Mazié’s brace was complimented by a goal from Yann Mabella and Davy N’Goma apiece, as the favourites coasted to victory.

Minerva’s season will still go down in the history books as an exceptional one, especially if they complete their Invincible league campaign. The first stages of the Cup game also showed that they are suited to playing at a higher level, and are expected to adapt to third-division football quickly. While they understandably produced little by way of impactful attack on Wednesday, their defence and positioning were encouraging signs ahead of a new challenge.

For Racing, they got the job done without any injuries and can now prepare for the semi-final against Dudelange. The team from the City are only 90 minutes away from a first cup final since 2022, when they won the trophy and qualified for the Europa Conference League. A similar fate would clearly delight the board, who have adopted a new vision with local youngsters at the forefront of their philosophy.

What next?

Racing will host Dudelange, while Wiltz will travel to Differdange for the semi-finals on 14 May. The final will be held at the national stadium two weeks later.

League action is set to continue this Sunday, as we head into the last five game-weeks of the season.