Den Bosch will face a dilemma when they take the field next Friday (24) in the Dutch second division against Den Haag.
In search of a spot in the promotion playoffs to the top flight, the team would actually benefit more from losing the match, which is the final round of the regular season.
To understand this unusual situation, it is important to explain the competition rules.
The league has 38 rounds and is divided into four periods. The leader of each period earns a place in the promotion playoffs.
Only the top two teams in the overall standings are promoted directly to the first division.
The clubs that finish from third to eighth place go to the playoffs and join the four period "champions."
Overall standings
Willem II lead the fourth and final period of the league, followed by Den Haag. However, the former have already secured a place in the knockout stage, while the latter have already earned direct promotion to the first division.
If they remain in those positions, the final playoff spot would go to the team in ninth place in the overall standings, which would be Den Bosch even if they lose on Friday.
Vitesse are third in the final period and need to finish in the top two to qualify.
To do that, however, they need Den Haag to slip up against Den Bosch.
Standings for the final period
That is where the dilemma in Friday's match comes in.
If they win, Den Bosch would make things easier for Vitesse, who could take away ninth place's right to go to the playoffs.
Even so, the players reject the idea of "throwing" the match and losing on purpose.
"I am a top-level athlete and I always want to win, even against ADO. Vitesse first have to win their own game away against Cambuur. I think it will be a difficult match," goalkeeper Pepijn van de Merbel told ESPN.
This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇧🇷 here.
