The 2024/25 season of the OTP Bank Liga has come to an end, so we decided to take a look at which of our players spent the most time on the pitch.

This time, Brandon Domingues finished in the 1st place. The French-Portugese dual national was a true leader of Loki, playing in 31 matches out of 33. He spent 2467 minutes on the pitch, during which he scored 12 goals and provided 3 assists. Fans will probably remember his braces against Ferencváros and Zalaegerszeg for a long time.

Tamács Szűcs is the second on the list, playing exactly 2190 minutes. The 20-year-old midfielder arrived at Loki last summer from Copenhagen and he was in the starting XI already in the first match. He’s all heart and tireless, having scored three goals in the past season. He scored his first-ever NBI goal against MTK, then found the net of MTK one more time and Zalaegerszeg as well.

The third player who spent the most time on the pitch was Donát Bárány with 2102 minutes. Even though he has had several injuries during the season, he still managed to appear in 28 matches. The 24-year-old striker once again proved his scoring ability by finishing the season with 4 assists and 13 goals. Thus, he became the top scorer of our team. He had a really strong season, which is also proven by the fact that he earned the Zilahi award and took the second place on the list of the top scorers in the league. What concerns the number of assists, Balázs Dzsudzsák finished in the 1st place, providing 11 assists for his teammates during the 2024/25 season.

On Saturday, in the final round of the 2024/25 championship season, Loki stepped onto the pitch in Székesfehérvár in a match that was crucial for avoiding relegation. The situation was clear: if Loki, supported by almost 1,200 fans from Debrecen, managed to avoid defeat, they would secure their place in NBI, while Fehérvár would be relegated from the first division after 26 years. Due to injury, Balázs Megyeri, Krisztián Hegyi, Erik Kusnyir, Bence Batik, Neven Djurasek and Kristiyan Malinov could not help in the battle. However, among the starting XI was Brandon Domingues, who had to be substituted against Paks by necessity.

The match kicked off with a derby-like atmosphere and an early chance for the home side as Saponjic headed wide from close range. In response, Amos Youga tried from distance in the 5^th minute, but he shot over the goal. The first major chance for Loki came in the 11^th minute, when Gergő Kocsis headed just over the bar following a corner. At times, DVSC had the upper hand, but the crosses from Fehérvár were also dangerous, so the tension was obviously high.

Then, in the 21^st minute, Loki took the lead! Soma Szuhodovszki made a shot from 20 meters and the ball flew unstoppably into the top right corner (0-1). Thus, DVSC had an advantage, so it was a crucial goal.

Fehérvár made some attempts in the following minutes, which were not dangerous for our goal. On the other side, Soma Szuhodovszkis’s shot was blocked in the 51^st minute, then Dala saved a header from Gergő Kocsis and a shot from Amos Youga.

The last 30 minutes started with a Loki goal! After János Ferenczi’s cross, Maximilian Hofmann made an acrobatic move and headed the ball into the net from 6 meters. Dala could only touch the ball (0-2). Almost right after the goal, there was a fight in the midfield at the end of which the referee sent off both Amos Youga and Castrati.

In the 76^th minute, Stefanelli hit the goal post. Botond Vajda, Maurides and Henrik Castegren came off the bench for the endgame, later Balázs Dzsudzsák and Arandjel Stojkovic also came on. Even though Fehérvár has not given up, Loki could control the game in the final minutes as well. Moreover, in the 85^th minute, after a nice solo, Botond Vajda gave an assist to Maurides, who confidently shot the ball into the net (0-3). Thus, everything was decided and DVSC earned a well-deserved victory, which means that the team stays in the first league.

According to the coach

Nestor El Maestro: We are all happy as we did our job. We earned a fantastic result in this final and I respect my players!

OTP Bank Liga, round 33.

Fehérvár-DVSC 0-3 (0-1).

Sóstói Stadium, 10 000 spectators. Referee: Bogár G.

Fehérvár FC: Dala – Petrov (Simut, 82.), Spandler, Kalandadze – Kovács M (Kastrati, 67.)., Melnik (Tóth T., 82.), Bedi (Katona, 67.), Szabó B., Milicevic – Holender (Stefanelli, 60.), Saponjic. Head coach: Krisztián Tímár.

DVSC: Pálfi – Szécsi, Lang, Hofmann, Ferenczi – Youga, Kocsis G. (Stojkovic, 87.) – Szűcs T. (Castegren, 79.), Szuhodovszki (Dzsudzsák, 87.), Domingues (Vajda, 72.) – Bárány (Maurides, 79.). Head coach: Nestor El Maestro.

Goal: Szuhodovszki (21.), Hofmann (66.), Maurides (85.).

Yellow card: Bedi (36.), Melnik (45+1.), Saponjic (61.) as well as Domingues (70.), Szűcs T. (72.).

Sent-off: Kastrati (70.) and Youga (70.).

DVSC, who is fighting against relegation, played the last home match of the season on Sunday, hosting the cup winner Paks at Nagyerdei Stadium. Before the kick-off, our club’s management honoured the members of our first-ever NBI championship team, who proved to be the best exactly 20 years ago. The Zilahi Award, given to the best DVSC player of the season, was also presented and it was Donát Bárány, the top scorer of our team, who received the award this season.

Due to injury, Balázs Megyeri, Krisztián Hegyi, Erik Kusnyir, Bence Batik, Neven Djurasek and Kristiyan Malinov were out of the squad, while Maximilian Hofmann was suspended. Among the starting XI were Donát Pálfi, János Ferenczi as well as Soma Szuhodovszki and Donát Bárány.

The match started with a dynamic fight, which Loki entered well. In the 11^th minute, Donát Pálfi confidently saved the header of Tóth, while on the other side, only the accurate final passes were missing for some time. In the 19^th minute, Amos Youga made a great pass to Donát Bárány, who hit the crossbar from 9 meters, so the Debrecen goal was close.

In the second part of the first half, Paks continued to look for Barna Tóth’s head with long balls, while DVSC tried to create chances by keeping the ball on the ground. Our team’s intent was clearly more dominant, but the first goal just wouldn’t come. No goals were scored until the break.

In the first minutes of the second half, Paks dominated, but did not manage to create a chance. In the 53^rd minute, Domingues got injured, so Botond Vajda came on as a substitution. In this period of the match, midfield play dominated, neither of the goals were in danger. In the 67^th minute, Botond Vajda shot wide off the goal from a distance, then Balázs Dzsudzsák also came off the bench.

At the beginning of the endgame, in the 72^nd minute, Paks got undermanned as Szappanos fouled Tamás Szűcs. Balázs Dzsudzsák curled the ball just over the bar from the free-kick. Maurides also came on for the final minutes, but no goals were scored, so it stayed a 0-0 draw.

The fate of Loki will be decided next week in the last round of the season in Székesfehérvár.

According to the coach

Nestor El Maestro: I have mixed feelings. I’m disappointed because we were the better team today and it was a close match with only a few chances. We earned the minimum result that we needed. The final is coming.

György Bognár: Our goal was to earn one point. We were not the best, but our will was in the right place. I’m satisfied with the overall performance of our team in this season.

OTP Bank Liga, round 32.

DVSC-Paks 0-0.

Nagyerdei Stadium, 8064 spectators. Referee: Berke B.

DVSC: Pálfi – Szécsi, Castegren, Lang, Ferenczi – Youga (Maurides, 83.), Kocsis G. – Szűcs T., Szuhodovszki (Dzsudzsák, 68.), Domingues (Vajda, 55.) – Bárány. Head coach: Nestor El Maestro.

Paks: Szappanos – Kinyik, Vas G., Ötvös – Osváth, Varga R. (Könyves, 64.), Windecker (Balogh B., 46.), Papp K., Silye (Hinora, 92.) – Gyurkits (Kovácsik, 75.) – Tóth B. (Böde, 64.). Head coach: Bognár György.

Yellow card: Lang (79.) as well as Windecker (35.), Ötvös (38.), Silye (77.).

Dismissal: Szappanos (72.).

DVSC, currently in a difficult situation, aimed to secure a point or points at the home of Puskás Akadémia, who are contenders for the championship title. Loki had to cope without several injured players, including Balázs Megyeri, Krisztián Hegyi, Erik Kusnyir, Bence Batik, Neven Djurasek and Yacouba Silue. Even though Donát Bárány was struggling with pain, he was in the squad. Gergő Kocsis, who performed well against MTK, was named in the starting line-up.

At the very beginning of the match, Loki was really motivated, but in the 6^th minute, Shuichi Gonda had to save Colley’s header. In the 10^th minute, Puskás took the lead: Levi curled the ball into the right corner of the goal from 9 meters (1-0). Not long after, Golla touched the ball with his hand within the box and the referee awarded a penalty for Loki. In the 15^th minute, Brandon Domingues took on the penalty, but he shot it straight at the diving Pécsi, missing the opportunity.

In the next minutes, the play was balanced, and in the 28^th minute, Maurides shot over the goal from a distance, not long after which Colley fired wide off the goal. In the 37^th minute, the home team doubled their lead: Soisalo came on the right wing, made a cross and Zsolt Nagy headed the ball into the net from 7 meters (2-0). No more goals were scored until the break, but Tamás Szűcs was fouled within the box and instead of a penalty, he even received a yellow card.

Soma Szuhodovszki and János Ferenczi came off the bench for the second half. In the 47^th minute, Maurides made a header, but Pécsi punched the ball away from under the crossbar. Then, Zsolt Nagy missed a one-on-one opportunity. In the 55^th minute, Gonda made a brilliant save with his leg to deny Colley’s attempt, so the last 30 minutes did not promise to be easy.

At the beginning of the endgame, Kristiyan Malinov got injured and Balázs Dzsudzsák came on. In the 74^th minute, János Ferenczi shot wide off the goal, but in the 79^th minute, our team pulled one back. After a corner, Amos Youga shot the ball into the far corner of the goal from close-range (2-1). Loki tried to equalize, but in the 89^th minute, at the end of a quick counter-attack, Levi scored (Dominik Kocsis was fouled before that action). Thus, the fate of the three points has been decided (3-1). In the 94^th minute, Kaye scored, but it was not enough as Mondovics scored one more at the end (4-2).

The next match will be against Paks next Sunday at Nagyerdei Stadium.

According to the coach

Zsolt Hornyák: It was a very exciting match and it was important that our goalkeeper saved the penalty. Before the break, we were better, but after that we made a few mistake in defence and we could have showed more concentration. It was not easy, but we deserved the three points. Debrecen does not stand on the table where they should be.

Nestor El Maestro: We are very disappointed because we had the chance to make a step towards remaining in the league, but we couldn’t do that. We were motivated, but we would have needed more in terms of quality. Moreover, several key moments didn’t go our way.

OTP Bank Liga, round 31.

Puskás Akadémia-DVSC 4-2 (2-0).

Pancho Arena, 2523 spectators. Referee: Antal P.

Puskás Akadémia: Pécsi – Maceiras, Golla, Stronati, Markgráf – Duarte (Plsek, 75.), Arutiunian – Soisalo (Vékony, 75.), Levi (Mondovics, 93.), Nagy Zs. (Nissila, 77.) – Colley (Fameyeh, 75.). Head coach: Zsolt Hornyák.

DVSC: Gonda – Szécsi (Kocsis D., 75.), Kocsis G., Lang, Hofmann, Vajda (Ferenczi, 46.) – Youga – Szűcs T. (Szuhodovszki, 46.), Malinov (Dzsudzsák, 66.), Domingues – Maurides (Shedrach, 75.). Head coach: Nestor El Maestro.

Goal: Levi (10.), Nagy Zs. (37.), Levi (89.), Mondovics (97.) as well as Youga (79.), Shedrach (94.).

Yellow card: Colley (18.), Duarte (52.), Mondovics (95.) as well as Szűcs T. (45+2.), Hofmann (51.), Szécsi (66.), Dzsudzsák (89.).

In the tense championship run-in, another crucial match awaited Loki this Saturday afternoon against the well-performing MTK. DVSC had to do without several players: the long-term injured Balázs Megyeri, Krisztián Hegyi, Erik Kusnyir, Bence Batik, Neven Djurasek, Yacouba Silue, as well as Donát Bárány, who was struggling with pain, and the suspended Maximilian Hofmann and Kristiyan Malinov. However, Tamás Szűcs was able to return to the squad.

Before the match, János Ferenczi was honoured on the occasion of his 250^th match in the first division. The first chance came in the 2^nd minute, when Balázs Dzsudzsák shot wide off the goal. The play was balanced and besides the high stake, there was also a tactical battle on the pitch. In the 19^th minute, Brandon Domingues headed wide off the goal, but there were no big chances at either of the goals.

In the 31^st minute, Maurides’ shot was blocked. However, in the 40^th minute, Loki was close to taking the lead: after Balázs Dzsudzsák’s free-kick from 19 meters, the ball bounced off the crossbar. Not long after, Maurides found himself in a one-on-one opportunity, but he missed the target. No goals were scored until the break.

At the beginning of the second half, DVSC had more possession and in the 50^th minute, Maurides missed a chance. Not long after, Demjén saved his header. DVSC was obviously dominating, but in the 60^th minute, Henrik Castegren touched the ball with his hand and MTK was awarded a penalty. Shuichi Gonda dived and saved Bognár’s penalty!

Thirty minutes before the end, Nestor El Maestro made some changes: János Ferenczi and Soma Szuhodovszki came off the bench (later, Dominik Kocsis also came on). Our team became even more offensive and the pressure intensified. In the 68^th minute, Jurina nodded wide off the goal. In the endgame, Loki tried to increase the pressure and in the 77^th minute, the goalkeeper of MTK saved Márk Szécsi’s shot as well as Brandon Domingues’ attempt. DVSC gave their all in the last minutes, but no goals were scored, so it stayed a 0-0 draw.

The next match will be away against Puskás Akadémia next Saturday in Felcsút.

According to the coach

Nestor El Maestro: We are disappointed as we were closer to the victory. We could play better, but this one point is enough to keep us alive. Some of the players will return for the next game and we continue to fight.

Dávid Horváth: The number and quality of chances that we created could have been enough for a goal, which probably would have decided the match. In the first half, we lacked rhythm, but after the break, we showed more energy. The home team put us under great pressure, but our defense and goalkeeper performed excellently.

OTP Bank Liga, round 30.

DVSC-MTK 0-0.

Nagyerdei Stadium, 6534 spectators. Referee: Rúsz M.

DVSC: Gonda – Castegren, Lang, Kocsis G. (Szuhodovszki, 62.) – Yogua – Szécsi, Vajda (Ferenczi, 62.) Szűcs T. (Stojkovic, 89.), Domingues – Dzsudzsák (Kocsis D., 70.), Maurides. Head coach: Nestor El Maestro.

MTK: Demjén – Varju, Végh, Kádár – Molnár Á. (Gruber, 80.), Horváth A., Kosznovszky, Kata, Kovács P. – Bognár I. (Polievka, 70.) – Jurina (Németh K., 80.). Head coach: Dávid Horváth.

Yellow card: Kocsis D. (90.) as well as Kovács P. (62.), Kádár (87.), Németh K. (90.), Végh (93.).

A full house and around 1,000 supporters from Debrecen were waiting for the teams on Friday evening in the crucial Eastern derby at the City Stadium of Nyíregyháza. Due to injury, Balázs Megyeri, Krisztián Hegyi, Bence Batik, Neven Djurasek and Yacouba Silue were missing, while Tamás Szűcs was suspended due to the accumulation of yellow cards. However, János Ferenczi and Kristiyan Malinov were back in the squad.

The match started in an incredible atmosphere and a chance for Nyíregyháza as in the 3rd minute, Jokic curled the ball wide off the goal from 10 meters. The fight was tough, and in the 9th minute, Soma Szuhodovszki’s shot was blocked, while in the 12th minute, Brandon Domingues missed the target from a distance. In general, Loki was dominating and in the 18th minute, Brandon Domingues found himself in a one-on-one opportunity, but the home goalkeeper made a brilliant save to deny Brandon’s shot.

In the next minutes, our team had more possession of the ball, but in the 26th minute, Shuichi Gonda had to use his leg in order to save Beke’s attempt. There were chances at both goals and in the 36th minute, Amos Youga hit the crossbar. Until halftime, none of the teams could score.

The second half started with the attempts of Nyíregyháza, which did not mean much danger. At this period, the game was evenly balanced, but Gonda had to perform one big save. During this save, he collided with a player within the box and after a VAR review, the referee awarded a penalty. In the 55th minute, Eppel converted the penalty (1-0).

Thus, DVSC started the last 30 minutes from behind, but our team tried to increase the pressure. Kristiyan Malinov came off the bench, then Balázs Dzsudzsák and János Ferenczi also came on as substitutions. Debrecen players attacking, but could not create big chances.

Loki gave their all during the endgame: Domingues scored, but it was flagged for offside, then the referee sent-off Maximilian Hofmann. In the end, Loki could not equalize.

The next match will be against MTK on Saturday at Nagyerdei Stadium.

According to the coach

István Szabó: Now, I have understood what the Eastern derby means. After the first 10-15 minutes, we’ve found our way of play and played better until the goal. Then, some players got tired, but we were fighting from our hearts. Debrecen also gave their all, but we deserved to win this time.

Nestor El Maestro: We played better in the first half, while the second half was very intense and emotional. The small details decided, such as concentration, good and bad luck. We are really disappointed, but we will continue to fight.

OTP Bank Liga, round 29.

Nyíregyháza-DVSC 1-0 (0-0).

Nyíregyháza, 8246 spectators. Referee: Bognár T.

Nyíregyháza: Tóth B. – Jokic, Alaxai, Velkovski – Kovács M. (Keita, 73.), Toma, Farkas (Navratil, 70.), Nagy B. – Nagy D. (Temesvári, 81.), Beke (Medved, 81.) – Eppel. Head coach: István Szabó.

DVSC: Gonda – Castegren, Lang, Hofmann, Vajda (Ferenczi, 77.) – Szécsi (Malinov, 61.), Youga, Szuhodovszki (Dzsudzsák, 67.), Domingues – Bárány, Maurides. Vezetőedző: Nestor El Maestro.

Goal: Eppel (55., from penalty).

Yellow card: Alaxai (80.), Tóth (87.), Keita (96.), as well as Szécsi (34.), Szuhodovszki (43.), Gonda (54.), Malinov (93.), Bárány (96.), Youga (98.).

Sent-off: Hofmann (89.).

On Saturday afternoon, DVSC hosted their direct rival Zalaegerszeg at Nagyerdei Stadium. Besides János Ferenczi, Erik Kusnyir, Bence Batik, Yacouba Silue and Kristiyan Malinov, who has been struggling with a minor injury, Neven Djurasek was also missing as he suffered a kick during the match against Újpest and has been sidelined for 4-5 weeks. Among the starting XI was Shuichi Gonda, our Japanese goalkeeper, who made his debut in Loki.

The starting whistle was preceded by a celebratory moment as Brandon Domingues recently played his 50^th league match for DVSC. On this occasion, our excellent winger was honoured by Ike Thierry Zaengel, the President of DVSC.

At the beginning of the match, our team took the initiative and in the 2^nd minute, Amos Youga shot over the goal with an acrobatic move. In the 6^th minute, DVSC took the lead: after Amos Youga’s cross, Donát Bárány headed the ball into the right corner of the goal from 8 meters. Thus, Bárány scored his 13^th goal in the championship (1-0).

In the 11^th minute, ZTE responded: after a corner, Bence Kiss made a dangerous header, which hit the post. The match was entertaining, and our team’s performance was also strong. In the 23^rd minute, another attempt from Donát Bárány was blocked by the defenders. Then, in the 25^th minute, ZTE equalized somewhat unexpectedly. Following a cross from the right, Mim charged in and headed the ball into the net from 6 meters (1-1). What’s more, the visitors took the lead in the 29^th minute: after Csonka’s cross, the ball bounced off the post and Krajcsovics collected the rebound and shot into the far corner from the right (1-2).

With the support of our fans, Loki pushed to equalize until halftime, but the visitors took control of the game for a longer period. Nestor El Maestro made a substitution, Soma Szuhodovszki came on, but no further goals were scored until the break.

The second half begin with the attempts of Debrecen. In the 49^th minute, Donát Bárány shot just wide off the goal, then Soma Szuhodovszki did the same. In the 52^nd minute, DVSC managed to equalize: Maurides headed the ball to the right side within the box and the arriving Tamás Szűcs slotted it into the net from 8 meters (2-2).

In the following minutes, DVSC dominated, and the atmosphere became more tense with tough duels. At the beginning of the final minutes, Botond Vajda fired over the goal, then in the 81^st minute, ZTE scored. Ipalibo, who came on as a substitution, shot the ball into the goal from 8 meters (2-3). Balázs Dzsudzsák also came off the bench and DVSC was pushing for a goal. In the 88^th minute, after a cross from Balázs Dzsudzsák and some chaos in the box, the ball found its way to Brandon Domingues, who cleverly curled it into the left side of the net from 10 meters (3-3). In the 93^rd minute, Dzsudzsák’s powerful shot went over the bar, but in the 96^th minute, Brandon Domingues beautifully placed the ball into the bottom right corner (4-3). It was a fantastic match and a brilliant win!

With this victory, Loki managed to move away from the relegation zone. The next match will be against Nyíregyháza on Friday evening.

According to the coach

Nestor El Maestro: It is a huge victory for us, which can give us strength and belief. It can be a turning point in the season. 5700 spectators could experience something special at the stadium. I hope that for the next home match even more fans will come.

Gábor Márton: It was a good match, we experienced everything. We would have deserved a draw considering that we scored 3 goals away from home, but we did a lot of childish mistakes.

 OTP Bank Liga, round 28.

DVSC-ZTE 4-3 (1-2).

Nagyerdei Stadium, 5712 spectators. Referee: Zierkelbach P.

DVSC: Gonda – Szécsi (Szuhodovszki, 39.), Castegren, Lang, Hofmann, Vajda – Szűcs T. (Dzsudzsák, 84.), Youga, Domingues (Kocsis G., 96.) – Bárány, Maurides. Head coach: Nestor El Maestro.

ZTE: Gundel-Takács – Szendrei N., Evangelou, Csóka, Medgyes (Safronov, 57., Várkonyi, 67.) – Sankovic – Krajcsovics (Sajbán, 57.), Kiss B. (Ipalibo, 80., Csonka (Bakti 80.), Mim – Croizet. Head coach: Gábor Márton.

Goal: Bárány (6.), Szűcs T. (52.), Domingues (88., 96.) as well as Mim (25.), Krajcsovics (29.), Ipalibo (81.).

Yellow card: Domingues (54.), Castegren (64.), Szűcs T. (74.) as well as Csonka (22.), Gundel-Takács (94.)

On Sunday afternoon, DVSC played at the home of their old rival Újpest. Besides János Ferenczi, Erik Kusnyir, Bence Batik and Yacouba Silue, who have been missing for a longer period, Kristiyan Malinov was also out of the squad due to a minor injury. Among the starting XI was Tamás Szűcs this time.

At the beginning of the match, in the 4^th minute, Donát Pálfi confidently saved Karamoko’s shot. Loki tried to press their opponent, while Újpest attempted to play through the press. In the 8^th minute, the home team succeeded: Beridze broke through on the right wing and Karamoko converted his cross from close-range. However, VAR detected an offside during the play.

In the 13^th minute, the defenders blocked Donát Bárány’s curl at the end of a nice action. DVSC’s attacking flair was more vivid and the team was supported by a lot of fans from Debrecen. By the middle of the first half, our team was dominating more and in the 23^rd minute, Brandon Domingues headed wide off the goal.

We could feel that there was much at stake as there was a lot of pressure on the pitch. In the 32^nd minute, Beridze shot over the goal from a free-kick, then Piscitelli deflected Amos Youga’s long-range attempt. No goals were scored until the break.

Maurides and Djurasek came off the bench for the second half. However, in the 48^th minute, Újpest took the lead. Beridze broke free from the defenders and fired into the bottom right corner from about 12 meters (1-0).

Shortly after, Neven Djurasek was badly fouled and had to be substituted, but no card was given for the foul. Balázs Dzsudzsák came on as a substitution. In the 57^th minute, Újpest doubled their lead: Rasak’s long-range shot deflected off a player of Debrecen and the ball flew unstoppably under the crossbar (2-0).

Thus, it became extremely hard to make a comeback, but we did that! In the 62^nd minute, after Amos Youga’s throw-in, Maurides slid the ball and Donát Bárány scored from close-range (2-1). At the beginning of the endgame, in the 70^th minute, Maurides made a header, which hit the post. Dominik Kocsis also came off the bench. In the 78^th minute, Dominik had a chance, but his shot was blocked. DVSC was pushing for an equalizer, while the home team was stalling for time. At the end, we could not equalize, so it ended in a defeat for us.

The next match will be against ZTE at Nagyerdei Stadium.

According to the coach

Bartosz Grzelak: We played well until 2-0, but the goal that we conceded pushed us back against a fighting opponent. I’m really glad for the 3 points.

Nestor El Maestro: We were not lucky today and we would have deserved a draw. In the first half, we were not good enough. After 0-2, we showed some character, but it was not enough. We don’t have time to feel sorry for ourselves as we need to prepare for the two games ahead of us, which can decide our fate.

OTP Bank Liga, round 27.

Újpest-DVSC 2-1 (0-0).

Szusza Stadium, 5502 spectators. Referee: Rúsz M.

Újpest: Piscitelli – Nunes, Duarte, Fiola – Bese, Lacoux, Rasak, Gergényi – Beridze (Ljujic, 66.), Brodic (Kaczvinszki, 86.), Karamoko (Horváth K., 75.). Head coach: Bartosz Grzelak.

DVSC: Pálfi – Szécsi, Castegren (Kocsis D., 75.), Lang, Hofmann, Vajda – Szűcs T. (Djurasek, 46., Dzsudzsák, 53.), Youga, Szuhodovszki (Maurides, 46.) – Bárány, Domingues. Head coach: Nestor El Maestro.

Goal: Beridze (48.), Rasak (57.) as well as Bárány (62.).

Yellow card: Brodic (20.), Gergényi (91.) as well as Youga (11.).

The professional and commercial globalization of football has progressed gradually over the past century, but a real shift in pace began at the end of the 20^th and the beginning of the 21^st century – not only on the pitch, but also in the underlying structures. Within the realm of sports, football made a significant leap and became one of the most influential elements of the sports economy. In fact, the true global business emerged almost exclusively around this sport.

While the major leagues of the United Sates (American football, baseball, ice hockey, basketball) are concentrated within their own region, football has become widespread across the globe and the most popular game worldwide. At the same time, it has also become fragmented. High-value clubs that function as business enterprises possess real economic value and may even play a global role. Others are important for their economic relevance, some serve as tools for urban policy and may receive support from political or local government budgets, and there are also clubs that serve small communities. Each has its own role to play in the broader ecosystem.

Traditional operating models focus on individual clubs, attempting to generate the necessary maintenance costs while striving for success — a task made increasingly difficult due to the globalization of the player market. Meanwhile, in most places, it is the local communities who yearn for victories, despite the presence of global opportunities and giant clubs.

Still, a local community can triumph; the local can indeed meet the global in a particular competition. This hope carries great potential — the kind that can define the experience and memory of a smaller team for years to come.

“There is no doubt that our micro- and macroenvironment is constantly evolving, and naturally, football is also in a state of continuous transformation. The only constant thing is the passion for sports that has burned like fire in Homo sapiens since the Paleolithic era – an eternal drive that pushes us to conquer new heights. Also, to seek adventure, to explore paths yet undiscovered, to sail across uncharted waters. In this spirit, following the era of total football, the age of global football arrived in our beloved sport, and eventually, its virtual counterpart emerged as well. Progress cannot – and should not – be halted. (See in The Complete Globalization of Football, Volume 4 of the book series presenting the game.)

Just as modernization efforts did not (and could not) leave European club competitions untouched—the continent’s football federation transformed the European Cup into the Champions League, merged the Cup Winners’ Cup and the UEFA Cup into the Europa League, created the Conference League and introduced the Nations League for national teams. The operating model of football clubs also evolved and continues to evolve.”

Alongside individual management models, recent decades have seen the rise of groups that may play an increasingly significant role in the near future. These entities carry out long-term strategic projects, with different clubs playing different roles within their overarching strategies. These groups aim to support and develop themselves at the group level while never losing sight of the importance of football’s local roots, as community and emotion are indispensable. Within the group, a community leader may achieve success here or there, making the ‘winning factor’ a constant part of their daily operations—serving a goal that is of the utmost importance, as success is both the result of a journey and a temporary state, after which the path must be continued.

Every role must have a designated member, yet each can be successful in its own right on a local level and in its own context. This enhances the self-esteem of individual clubs, and the sense of local involvement becomes a shared group-level experience. This can be beneficial in several ways—not only professionally but also economically: for instance, television broadcasters from other countries may purchase broadcasting rights and more and more foreign fans are buying tickets to matches.

The first truly global football group is the City Football Group (CFG), which owns and operates leading clubs around the world. It includes 13 clubs across five continents—five in Europe (Manchester City, Girona FC, Lommel SK, ESTAC Troyes, Palermo FC), four in America (New York City FC, Montevideo City Torque, Bahia, Club Bolívar) and four in Australia and Asia (Melbourne City FC, Yokohama F. Marinos, Sichuan Jiuniu FC, Mumbai City FC).

Founded in May 2013, CFG’s core principle is that each club should remain authentic to its supporters and community, play entertaining football and benefit from being part of a global organization that provides world-class expertise both on and off the pitch. CFG is a pioneer in talent development, fan engagement, entertainment, commercial opportunities and community impact. Its clubs are supported by more than a billion supporters worldwide.

Evangelos Marinaki’s group is following a similar path, overseeing not only the Greek club Olympiacos Piraeus FC, but also managing the day-to-day operations of England’s Nottingham Forest and Portugal’s Rio Ave FC. Other emerging organizations could also be mentioned. Currently, there are 131 multi-club structures operating worldwide, encompassing over 350 teams globally, out of which 258 are based in Europe.

What’s particularly noteworthy is that more than a hundred clubs from elite leagues—that is, 13 percent of teams participating in UEFA competitions—are already part of some form of multi-club structure. These football groups are organized under various legal frameworks, since certain regulations prohibit, for example, teams with the same owner from participating in the same competitions (leagues or international cups). However, geographic and tier-based diversification of member clubs, along with legal structuring, enables these organizations to operate smoothly.

Even if clubs are owned by the same group, they do not form a true multi-club network unless there is shared infrastructure, youth development systems, knowledge exchange, and staff rotation among them.

Through holding-style or other legal arrangements, such groups are able to hire experts, acquire specialized knowledge, and offer service packages that individual clubs—or even most members—would not be able to afford on their own. As a result, emerging teams gain access to higher-quality opportunities.

In Hungary, no club is currently part of an international group. Entry into such a network depends on factors like the country’s size, the club’s success, youth development, and consumer purchasing power.

That said, Hungary has some strong advantages: excellent infrastructure, football academies, historical traditions, and strong local community support behind certain clubs. In some cases, access to external knowledge and expertise may also position a Hungarian club to become part of an international network as part of a long-term project.

On the international stage, clubs are increasingly integrating community-building, education, innovation, and science into their operations. For example, the Barça Innovation Hub or the Madrid-based Universidad Europea’s joint programs with Real Madrid, which offer both online and in-person education and even hold graduation ceremonies at the Santiago Bernabéu Stadium.

Today, football is no longer just about players and coaches. It is a complex system in which professionals from various fields work together to ensure a club’s success—both in sporting and economic terms—drawing on multiple branches of knowledge.

The author is Chancellor and Professor at the University of Debrecen and Head of the Sports Economics Program.

Source: nso.hu

I hope this message finds you well.

I would like to share with you some very exciting news regarding our beloved Club. After a lenghty consideration and thorough deliberation I made a decision to join the Club into a professional international multi-club organization called Five Eleven. The new partners’ persistent interest and commitment to DVSC convinced all of us that, by working together, we will be able to unlock the club’s enormous potential in the long term. So starting next season, we will have the opportunity to collaborate with a new and highly experienced football management team, whom all have great track record in the highest level of european club football. Five Eleven Capital already acquired minority stake in the Club and the group CEO, Martin Ink, will join to the board of directors of DVSC. 

I am confident that this partnership will support DVSC’s continued growth and long-term sustainability. I firmly believe that the future of global football lies in the strength and vision of multi-club organizations, and this step aligns with that forward-looking approach.

I will keep you updated on all important developments and decisions as we move forward together.

Warm regards,

Haira Loki !

Ike Thierry Zaengel 

President

DVSC Futball Zrt.

After the important victory over Kecskemét, DVSC hosted the well-performing Diósgyőr on Saturday evening at Nagyerdei Stadium. The ultras of DVSC and DVTK arrived at the match in a joint march, symbolizing friendship. Donát Pálfi, who made his debut in the previous round, saved the goal of Loki again, while Soma Szuhodovszki was among the starting XI.

The match started at a vivid pace, the play was dynamic. In the 12^th minute Loki created the first dangerous chance, when Amos Youga unleashed a powerful shot from 19 meters, but it went just wide off the goal. However, in the 17^th minute, the opponent took the lead. After a short back pass, Edomwonyi converted the one-on-one opportunity, he dribbled Pálfi and rolled the ball into the net (0-1).

In the next minutes, the goalkeeper of Diósgyőr saved Botond Vajda’s shot, the in the 21^st minute, Odincov made a brilliant save to deny Brandon Domingues’ close-range shot. Then, in the 25^th minute, Loki equalized: after a cross into the middle, Donát Bárány found himself one-on-one with the goalkeeper and didn’t miss from close range (1-1). DVSC dominated in the following minutes as well, our team was continuously attacking (Malinov and Bárány also tried), but no more goals were scored until the break. In the first half, the touches inside the opponent’s box were 24 to 1 in favour of Loki.

The 2^nd half also began and continued with the dominance of Debrecen. In the 52^nd minute, Debrecen scored a second goal: Donát Bárány turned brilliantly past his defender and fired into the net from 13 meters out (2-1). It was the tenth goal of our homegrown striker in this season. Thus, DVSC came from behind, but it was well deserved.

In the 55^th minute, DVSC scored a third goal: Amos Youga made a sensational pass, then Brandon Domingues dribbled through the defender and scored from a few meters out (3-1). Therefore, the fate of the three points was decided and Loki won against Diósgyőr after 5 years. Our team has been unbeaten for three rounds, won the last two matches and stepped out of the relegation zone. The last thirty minutes were also eventful: firstly, Donát Pálfi made a brilliant save, then in the 63^rd minute, Tiehi made a shot, which hit the post. Tamás Szűcs came off the bench (later Maurides, Gergő Kocsis, Balázs Dzsudzsák and Neven Djurasek as well). In the 68^th minute, Donát Bárány was fouled within the box and Loki was awarded a penalty. Bárány confidently converted the penalty and scored his third goal in the match (overall, he has already eleven goals).

In the endgame, no more goals were scored. DVSC played well, so it was a confident and well-deserved victory. The next match will be next Sunday away against Újpest.

According to the coach

Nestor El Maestro: The most important thing is that we are above the line again and our destiny is in our hands. We have two stay with two feet on the ground as we need more victories. In this match, we had the best result and showed the best performance.

Valdas Dambrauskas: Congratulations to Debrecen, they deserved to win. I would to apologize to our fans, we showed our worse face and nothing went our way. We had problems and could not start with the best starting XI, but I don’t want to use them as an excuse.

OTP Bank Liga, round 26.

DVSC-Diósgyőr 4-1 (1-1).

Nagyerdei Stadion, 5244 néző. Vezette: Bognár T.

DVSC: Pálfi – Szécsi, Castegren, Lang, Hofmann (Kocsis G., 73.), Vajda – Szuhodovszki (Szűcs T., 66.), Youga, Malinov (Djurasek, 84.), Domingues (Dzsudzsák, 84.) – Bárány (Maurides, 73.). Head coach: Nestor El Maestro.

Diósgyőr: Odincov – Szakos (Kállai, 75.), Lund, Bárdos, Sanicanin – Vallejo – Gera, Holdampf (Bényei, 81.), Skribek (Tiehi, 46.), Benkő (Rakonjac, 46.) – Edomwonyi (Huszár, 81.). Head coach: Valdas Dambrauskas.

Goal: Bárány (25., 52., 69., the last one from penalty), Domingues (55.) as well as Edomwonyi (17.).

Yellow card: Domingues (70.) as well as Holdamf (57.), Kállai (80.).

DVSC signed the 36-year-old Shuichi Gonda. The experienced Japanese goalkeeper has had an impressive career, making 38 appearances for his country’s national team. In the 2022 World Cup, he saved the goal of Japan, where his team defeated both Germany and Spain and reached the quarterfinals.

Until February, he played for Sihimizu S-Pulse and during his career, he has won both the Asian and the Japanese Cup. Shuichi Gonda has also played in Austria and Portugal, while in the Japanese league, he has saved the goal in 299 matches. As Krisztián Hegyi got injured, he can be a great asset to our team with his experience. Welcome to Loki!