FC Utrecht's Europa League Campaign Ends in Disappointment

FC Utrecht manager Ron Jans looks on during the UEFA Europa League game against Nottingham Forest

Ron Jans' Utrecht struggles continue in Europe, with a tough January ahead against Genk and Celtic.

“I told him that I heard I needed to introduce myself, because he didn't know me! Sean told me...”

Ron Jans, FC Utrecht's manager, is still reeling after their 2-1 home loss to Nottingham Forest in the UEFA Europa League. He believes his team's chances of advancing were worth a whopping €660 million, and they're now facing an uphill battle after dropping to 32nd place with just one point from six games.

Utrecht's dreams of surviving the League Phase are fading fast, and Jans is left wondering what could've been. Their next move is crucial, and it'll take a big turnaround to get them back in contention.

Utrecht's defensive vulnerability, especially in the second half, was exposed by Nottingham Forest's clinical finishing. They conceded early, and after a brief respite, the visitors took advantage of Utrecht's late defensive frailties, capitalizing on the home side's tired legs and possible drop in concentration.

Jans, a seasoned manager with a wealth of experience, was amused to learn that Sean Dyche didn't know who he was prior to their match. With only 22 European games under his belt since 2002, Jans took the revelation in stride, chuckling about it afterwards.

“We couldn’t find a way through their defence and failed to create chances the way they did at the start,” FC Utrecht manager Ron Jans said during the post-game press conference. 

“Late in the second half, you saw that they found room in the halfspaces. They were calmer on the ball there - that was the difference today.”

When asked what he saw in Nottingham Forest that he missed in own squad, Jans answered quickly: “€660 million.”

Utrecht's Tactical Approach

“We applied high pressure and played a long field, but they played through it well,” Jans explained, highlighting FC Utrecht's strategy against Nottingham Forest. Despite Forest's control in the final third, Utrecht's high press and long-field approach limited them to few big chances, especially in the second half.

“They’re a good team. We solved it from the 20th minute on, and after that, they had trouble with us. On the ball, we were much better, too. I don’t think we did too many things wrong. We only conceded the 2-1 three minutes before full-time – they didn’t outclass us, except for the first and final minutes of the second half.”

Jans' succinct assessment of Utrecht's performance: “Sh*t.”

Lost in the Moment

FC Utrecht's electric atmosphere, complete with a pre-game light show at the sold-out Stadion Galgenwaard, caught manager Ron Jans off guard. “I heard he didn't know me!” Jans chuckled, admitting he was momentarily lost in the excitement.

“I thought for a moment that I somehow ended up in Star Wars. I'm not that into science fiction, but that was cool.”

Jans, a seasoned manager with a wealth of experience, was amused to learn that Sean Dyche didn't know who he was prior to their match. With only 22 European games under his belt since 2002, Jans took the revelation in stride, chuckling about it afterwards.

The two shared a long conversation before the game - Jans shared the reason why: “I told him that I heard I needed to introduce myself, because he didn't know me! Sean told me he asked about me, and he found out I'm an experienced coach. That was fun.”

No win for FC Utrecht against Nottingham Forest in the Europa League, but that didn’t make Utrecht manager Ron Jans enjoy the pre-game show from the fans any less:

“I thought I’d ended up in Star Wars for a moment.” #utrnfo pic.twitter.com/JoJo125z29

— Paul Winters (@waulpinters) December 11, 2025

Opportunity Knocks for Utrecht's Benchwarmers

With FC Utrecht's Europa League campaign likely over, manager Ron Jans will look to give other players a chance to shine. The 1-point tally from six games makes it tough to see a way back, so Jans might as well give his bench players some valuable European experience, hoping they'll impress in the process.

“I’m absolutely going to give other players opportunities. That also has to do with the number of games we play, or with Sebastien Haller leaving for AFCON with the Ivory Coast – we’ll have to change some things. My starters have built up a lot of credit, though.”

FC Utrecht's European campaign will wrap up in January with a home game against KRC Genk, followed by an away trip to Celtic Park to face Scottish giants Celtic.