Perr Schuurs can understand that he was substituted during the match between Ajax and Sporting Portugal (4-2). The centre-back was taken off for Devyne Rensch after an hour of play, shortly after he could have possibly received his second yellow card when he took out Sporting’s counterattack. Schuurs also looks back with satisfaction on his performance in the last group match of the Champions League.
“It was my first foul, but maybe a little stupid. I think I should have kept him to myself. I held back on that second foul, so I think it’s right that the referee didn’t give a second yellow card. It is a good thing afterwards that I was replaced afterwards, to avoid the risk of being suspended,” says Schuurs in front of the camera of RTL7. He provided an assist for David Neres’ third Ajax goal. “I was happy he scored, because then my pass has more value.”
At the same time, Schuurs somewhat blamed himself for Sporting’s equalizer – recorded in the first half by Nuno Santos. “The right winger gave the ball and it fell a bit between Nous (Mazraoui, ed.) and me. Then he tapped the ball in a bit happily. You should always feel your opponent when you pass. But that ball was touched, causing it to fall behind us. Of course you sometimes have to say that it was a good assist, but in the end I look more at myself.”
“Six out of six, that’s what we wanted and we have completed that. I’m very happy with that. I am happy with my assist, but you always have to be critical and look at goals against or other duels,” Schuurs sums up the duel with Sporting for him. Ryan Gravenberch also shows himself in conversation with Ajax TV happy with the perfect score in the group stage of the Champions League. “I am proud of the team that we have achieved this, that we have 18 points from six games, and that we have shown our good game in all those games.”
“I had a little mixed feelings; Today it went well, I also started well in the group stage, after that it went a little less, now better. In that respect I am satisfied”, Gravenberch is at the same time critical of his own game. “It feels great, we have made history, that always feels good. Do we feel invincible? I don’t want to say that, but we are in good shape as a team.”