NEC’s Champions League hopes marred by DJ’s Europa League blunder in Norway

On Tuesday, Dutch side NEC will travel to Bodø/Glimt’s Aspmyra Stadium in Norway for what they claim is their last chance to secure a Champions League place, but the stadium DJ mistakenly launched the Europa League anthem at kickoff, confusing the occasion from the outset.

NEC’s mission is to overturn a 3‑1 defeat suffered in Nijmegen and clinch a spot in the Champions League play‑offs. The club’s officials stress that the upcoming match against Bodø/Glimt represents the decisive opportunity to keep their European ambitions alive.

DJ’s Europa League mix‑up

When the Bodø players and NEC squad entered the pitch, the DJ played the Europa League anthem instead of the iconic Champions League theme. The error produced a clumsy image, especially as the violins that should have sounded at Aspmyra Stadium were replaced by the European competition’s melody.

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The match began dramatically, and within three minutes Gonzalo Crettaz committed a handball outside his penalty area, earning a straight red card. His dismissal left NEC a man down early in a crucial encounter.

The Champions League anthem, composed by Tony Britten and performed by a choir singing in English, French and German, is traditionally the signal that Europe’s premier club competition is about to start. It had been heard in Nijmegen on Wednesday, but was absent in Bodø on Tuesday.

The incident is featured in the ‘Kantlijn’ column, where the VI.nl editorial team gathers the most notable football stories. Readers can follow the full match coverage on VI Live, as the club hopes the blunder becomes a mere footnote to their European quest.