Davy Klaassen will start his thirteenth Classic on Sunday as a player of Ajax. The midfielder managed to leave the field nine times as the winner of those thirteen games. If that happens again on Sunday, the team from Amsterdam will take over the lead in the Eredivisie with eight games to go. In conversation with ESPN Klaassen looks ahead to the most important match of the year for Ajax.
Klaassen calls last year’s Classic as his best Classic in an Ajax shirt. The team from Amsterdam came out on top a year ago via Antony. “Especially because we fell behind twice. It’s nice to come back that way. But the whole atmosphere in the stadium was also special.” When asked whether Klaassen would rather score in De Kuip or the Johan Cruijff ArenA, he does not have to think long. “The ArenA. Then you have your own fans. In De Kuip is also nice, but at home is better.”
Knows @DavyKlaassen ‘are’ Classics? ?? #AJAFEY
— ESPN NL (@ESPNnl) March 18, 2023
A Feyenoord player who can appeal to Klaassen is Gernot Trauner. “I think he gives a lot of rest and he is good at building up. I think he is a good player,” said Klaassen, whose brother is for Feyenoord. “I think he’s happy for me if I score. If someone needs to score, he’ll give it to me.” Hans Kraay responds to this in a characteristic way. “So it is a Feyenoord supporter who is a defector during Ajax – Feyenoord?”, he counters jokingly. “He is a Feyenoord supporter who puts family above football,” Klaassen replies.
It is expected that Klaassen will return to the base at Ajax on Sunday afternoon, at the expense of Kenneth Taylor. John Heitinga most likely opts for experience and therefore prefers the 39-time the Dutch international. Klaassen, like Taylor, was told on Friday that he has been included in Ronald Koeman’s final selection for the European Championship qualifying matches with France (March 24) and Gibraltar (March 27). Steven Bergwijn, Steven Berghuis, Brian Brobbey and Jurriën Timber also travel to Zeist on behalf of Ajax.