There was a time when the Hungarian champion beat
When the club last reached a European final — eliminating Liverpool on the way in the 1974-75 Cup Winners' Cup — it lost to Dynamo Kyiv, where current Ferencváros coach
So it is fitting that on Tuesday Ferencváros returns to the
The adventure starts away to
“We are very, very proud to reach this level,” Ferencváros chief executive Pál Orosz said in a telephone interview, suggesting his is “a classic Europa (League) group-stage club.”
“We all wanted big names ... but this is a bonus for us,” said Orosz, whose father, also called Pál, played in the 1965 Inter-Cities Fairs Cup title win over
Ferencváros heads to
Orosz acknowledges “there is a huge gap” between his club, known affectionately to fans as Fradi, and the multi-national brands of
The entire Ferencváros squad is valued at less than
“This is our club. We are one team, we are not about individuals,” said Orosz, pointing to good scouting as a reason not to fear wealthier rivals who now try to sign his players.
The scorer of winning goals in two
Rebrov also was a smart hire. The former Tottenham forward coached only in
“He is very serious, not so extrovert,” Orosz said of the 46-year-old coach. “It’s a very, very good stage in his career. He’s having a good time.”
The CEO credits club president
Kubatov is a campaign strategist for the Fidesz party led by Prime Minister
The plan was to restore pride in Hungarian soccer: An era of the Mighty Magyars who reached the 1954
Hungary’s recent stadium-building project will be seen in Ferencváros’s
Dynamo
The new arena changed the perception and behaviour of the club, Orosz said, though the club will move to the national stadium for its marquee games.
Around 20,000 fans should be allowed to attend in the 67,000
“I think the tickets will be sold in a day,” Orosz said. “Everybody was waiting for success like this and games like this.”
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