Rwandan midfielder Djihad Bizimana and his Kryvbas KR team have secured a spot in the Europa League. Bizimana has been an essential player, appearing in 28 out of 30 matches for his club this season.
“I am very happy and proud of myself and my teammates because we worked hard and it paid off. Right now, there’s nothing more to say about which players or clubs I would like to face in the Europa League because many leagues in Europe are not yet concluded, so there’s no comment so far.”
Amavubi Stars’ captain is thrilled to help his team achieve this milestone for the first time in the club’s history. Bizimana also discussed the changes at Amavubi Stars that helped the team earn 4 points in the last two World Cup qualifiers against Zimbabwe and South Africa.
“We changed our mentality to be fearless against our opponents and always believed in ourselves. Football is the same everywhere, and this mindset has helped us. We will keep improving day by day. Our objective is to make Rwandans proud by trying to win our games. We know it’s not easy, but it is possible.”
Bizimana, who joined the Ukrainian outfit in July 2023 on a two-year deal, has already gained coach Yuriy Vernydub’s trust by starting in 28 league games.
What is the new Europa League format?
The biggest change is to the group stage, which will become a single 36-team league stage. Each side faces eight different teams (four at home, four away). The top eight overall advance directly to the round of 16; teams finishing from ninth to 24th will contest the knockout round play-offs, with the victors going through to the last 16. From then on, it is a straight knockout.
When are the 2024/25 Europa League qualifiers?
First qualifying round: 11 & 18 July 2024
Second qualifying round: 25 July & 1 August 2024
Third qualifying round: 8 & 15 August 2024
Play-offs: 22 & 29 August 2024
Where is the Europa League final in 2025?
The 2024/25 UEFA Europa League season will conclude at the Estadio de San Mamés in Bilbao, Spain, on 21 May 2025. With a capacity of over 50,000, the home of Athletic Club opened in September 2013 to replace the old San Mamés, which had been home to the club since 1913. The old stadium staged the second leg of the 1977 UEFA Cup final and three games at the 1982 FIFA World Cup finals.
What do the Europa League winners get?
The UEFA Europa League trophy is the heaviest piece of UEFA silverware at 15 kg and has no handles. The 2024/25 winners also gain a place in the group stage of the 2025/26 UEFA Champions League, if they have not qualified via their domestic competition.
Amavubi Stars will resume their campaign on 6th and 11th June, where they will be hosted by Benin and Togo in their quest for World Cup qualification. The tournament will be held in Mexico, the United States, and Canada, marking the first time three different countries will host a single tournament.
