UEFA Europa League Preview: Koeman plays down importance of Vitesse links
Southampton's Ronald Koeman comes up against his former club Vitesse in the UEFA Europa League on Thursday.
Ronald Koeman maintains his Dutch coaching pedigree and experience at Vitesse will not necessarily serve as an advantage ahead of the first leg of Southampton's UEFA Europa League third qualifying round tie.
The Premier League side play their first European game in 12 years at St Mary's Stadium on Thursday, as Koeman comes up against the club he managed between 2000 and 2001.
A brief spell with Vitesse preceded time coaching established European names such as Ajax and Valencia.
The Arnhem-based outfit regularly take players on loan from Premier League champions Chelsea and could call on the likes of Lewis Baker and Danilo Pantic during the first leg.
As such, Koeman expects a different test to the one offered by most Eredivisie sides, telling reporters: "Vitesse is a little bit different because they have the connection to Chelsea - and they have to change every season a lot of players.
"They lost five or six very good players but of course they bring in new young ones. We have to be prepared, all of them are good young players and they can play good football - that's positive.
"They don't come to defend and defend. They try to play football and that makes the game more open and that's good."
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