Erik ten Hag has announced which eleven players will start at Ajax against Lille OSC on Thursday evening. As expected, Nicolás Tagliafico is not there and is replaced on the left back position by Daley Blind. Ryan Gravenberch returns from suspension to take his place in midfield next to Edson Álvarez. The kick-off in the return of the sixteenth finals in the Europa League is at 6.55 pm in the Johan Cruijff ArenA.
Noussair Mazraoui is still injured, so Devyne Rensch has a new base place in the right back position. Just like last week in Lille, the center of the defense is formed by Jurriën Timber and Lisandro Martínez. That means that Perr Schuurs, who still played against Sparta Rotterdam (2-2), is on the bench. Blind played in Lille as a midfielder, but moves back to the defense to take the left back position. Maarten Stekelenburg defends the goal in the absence of André Onana.
The spot in midfield that Blind leaves free is taken by Gravenberch. Davy Klaassen started on Sunday against Sparta on the bench, but, just like last week, is lined up as number ten in Lille. Up front, Ten Hag again uses the variant with Dusan Tadic in the striker as a replacement for the unregistered Sébastien Haller. The flank positions are, just as in France, occupied by Antony and David Neres.
Last Thursday Ajax was 1-2 too strong in France for the leader of the Ligue 1. After a sloppy pass-back from Nicolás Tagliafico, Timothy Weah was able to score twenty minutes before time. Due to goals from captain Dusan Tadic and substitute Brian Brobbey in the final phase, Ajax finally took the victory.
Ajax setup: Stekelenburg; Rensch, J. Timber, Martinez, Blind; Alvarez, Klaassen, Gravenberch; Antony, Tadic, Neres.
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