AZ Alkmaar will be without key left-back Milos Kerkez for their Europa Conference League semi-final first leg clash against West Ham United on Thursday night.
The 19-year-old Hungarian international has been a regular for the Hammers’ Dutch opponents, playing in all 16 matches of their Europa Conference League run from the second qualification round to the semi-finals, starting 15 of them.
The teenager has made 48 appearances in all competitions this season, scoring five goals and adding eight assists. However, he is not someone that West Ham will have to worry about in their clash this week.
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That is because Kerkez was booked in the second leg of their quarter-final win over Anderlecht which secured them a place with two legs against the Hammers for a place in the final.
UEFA’s competition laws state any player receiving three yellow cards between the start of the group stages and the end of the quarter-finals will be handed a one-match ban. Therefore, Kerkez will be banned for the first leg against the Hammers.
While West Ham will not miss anyone for the game through suspension, they have experienced punishment of similar proportions this season. Midfielder Flynn Downes missed the round of 16 second leg win over Cypriot side AEK Larnaca in March, having picked up a suspension of his own for three yellow cards.
However, no players can receive suspensions for yellow cards in the competition’s semi-finals, only red cards.
West Ham are however set to miss three players through injury in midweek. Right-back Vladimir Coufal (hamstring), centre-back Kurt Zouma (ankle) and striker Gianluca Scamacca (knee) are all expected to be absent.
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