Rafael van der Vaart is deeply impressed by Ajax’s play in the Champions League match against Borussia Dortmund (4-0). Erik ten Hag’s team earns, according to the analyst of Ziggo Sports a ‘thick ten’ for the performance. He even speaks of ‘one of the most beautiful evenings’ ever in the Johan Cruijff ArenA and cannot remember that Ajax played so well in the Champions League in the recent past.
Van der Vaart ‘had goosebumps for ninety minutes’. “This is one of the most beautiful evenings here”, says the former midfielder immediately after the victory. “Dortmund, such a big team, playing to the balls… At a certain point they seemed like little children. You saw one beautiful attack after the other at Ajax. What an evening. I had goosebumps for ninety minutes. The only thing I can say is that they didn’t play very well in the first minutes, but it was the ideal match for Ten Hag.”
Pasveer on fire ?? The keeper has been under a magnifying glass for the past few weeks, but stood out today with some fantastic saves ??#ZiggoSport #UCL #AJABVB pic.twitter.com/eiloNQ0qpE
— Ziggo Sport Football (@ZS_Voetbal) October 19, 2021
Van der Vaart hardly saw any dissonances in the Ajax team. “Berghuis played fantastic. Pasveer grabbed some great balls,” says the analyst, who highlights a save by the keeper on a shot by Erling Braut Haaland at a 3-0 score. “It will be exciting again. Martínez and Timber also played well from the back. Gravenberch lost quite a lot of balls, but then you are very critical and you should not be that on such an evening. He also did a lot of good things.”
Davy Klaassen’s substitute also left a good impression on Van der Vaart. The attacking midfielder was told before the game that Steven Berghuis was preferred in his position, so Klaassen started on the bench. “He comes out disappointed, however you look at it. But he immediately starts sprinting and taking balls away. I have rarely experienced or seen that team spirit. I’m also thinking: when have I seen a better Ajax match in the Champions League? Maybe in 1995, when we won it. I did not expect this. We knew they were good, but that good?”
Wesley Sneijder, analyst at RTL7, praises the role that Klaassen played in the run-up to Sébastien Haller’s 4-0. “He conquers the ball well before the 4-0. Klaassen is someone who just plays for the team. He always tries to get to it at the right time. Today the choice for Berghuis turned out great, but you know that you have someone on hand with Klaassen. That naturally also gives Berghuis a bit of pressure. He handles that fantastically. Ajax has become stronger in width.”
Sneijder does not have to think twice when he is asked about the biggest difference between the two teams. “Everything,” he replies. “Ajax always won the second balls, was close to the opponent and had the will to win. Berghuis was very important in that, by constantly accelerating the game. He plays so simply, by hitting the ball once. “Not only does he play back or wide, but forward. He also creates opportunities with that. It was not one of his best matches I’ve seen from him, but his best. That was the difference tonight. Ajax was many times better.”