Pierre van Hooijdonk is critical of Erik ten Hag’s statements about Benfica. After the game, Ajax’s trainer spoke with Willem II (0-1 victory) about a 50/50 chance to continue in the Champions League. Van Hooijdonk signals in the program Studio Football of the NOS that European opponents are ‘made so much stronger’ by trainers.
“It’s 50/50, Benfica is an extremely good team with an extremely good attack. We will have to have a sharp plan and it must be good in the execution,” Ten Hag said in conversation with the NOS† “Do you know? I can’t watch this anymore,” Van Hooijdonk responds after seeing the interview with Ten Hag. “That has nothing to do with Ten Hag, but those interviews for European matches. Those opponents are made so much stronger by the trainers. 50/50, it’s not 50/50 at all. Rather 80/20. We must not tempt the gods, for then you will receive such answers.”
“That’s just to create even more of a sense of how great it will be if Ajax makes it to the next round. Like: look how good it is that we are through. Even if they will win by many goals later,” Ibrahim Afellay agrees. If it were up to the analysts of Studio Football Ten Hag brings Ryan Gravenberch back to his starting eleven at the expense of Davy Klaassen for the first leg of the eighth final in the Champions League.
“I would put Berghuis at ten and set up Gravenberch again,” says Theo Janssen. “It’s not that Klaassen plays badly, he is always on the road and comes in front of the goal, but you lack occupation in midfield. At Ajax everyone wants to go forward, the backs are always on the way. One or two passes can get you deadly because they leave so much room. If you play there with Álvarez, Gravenberch and Berghuis in a free role, it looks a bit better.”
“I think he will go for that option. You could also choose Berghuis as a left midfielder, because Benfica is the best you could draw,” concludes Van Hooijdonk. Afellay agrees with his table companions: “I would also choose Gravenberch, that is not a point of discussion at all.”