Tuesday, November 2, 2021 at 3:57 PM• Chris Meijer

The defeat against Ajax has irritated Borussia Dortmund, Marco Rose indicated on Tuesday afternoon. At the press conference prior to the Champions League match between those Borus and Ajax indicates to the trainer that he ‘now knows better what to expect’ from the team from Amsterdam. Defender Mats Hummels also said that he will keep an eye on Antony in particular. “Individually he is a great player”.

Borussia Dortmund suffered a painful 4-0 defeat in the Johan Cruijff Arena against Ajax in the Champions League two weeks ago. “We have to play football better and with more guts than we did in Amsterdam”, Rose indicates. “We were annoyed by the result in the first game. After our recent victories, we should start tomorrow with more confidence.” The German trainer announced that he has a different approach than two weeks ago. “We’re not really going to kick, but football is a game with duels. Ajax is very good when it is at the ball. But we can also win duels from them and keep the ball ourselves.”

Rose reveals at the press conference that he received tips from his German colleague Frank Wormuth of Heracles Almelo last week. “We have frequent contact,” he said. “And he knows what he’s talking about. We saw that again on Saturday, didn’t we?” Ajax did not get further than a goalless draw in the Eredivisie match against Ervo Asito. It was not the first time that Ajax was damaged during a visit to Heracles. Led by Wormuth, only one of the last four home games with the team from Amsterdam was lost. Wormuth said last week that he called Rose after the Borussia Dortmund defeat.

Mats Hummels, who sat next to Rose at the press conference, is convinced that his team will show up better against Ajax on Wednesday evening. “Obviously we want to play a much better game,” said the defender. “Especially at home we have to show that we want to win the match, that we are dominant and that we don’t give the ball to our opponent too easily. We can learn a lot from the first game. I am convinced that we will show a different face.”

If Borussia Dortmund want to achieve a result on Wednesday evening, it will have to stop Antony, among others. “Individually he is a great player,” Hummels says. “Ajax lives on attackers who have different qualities. Tadic, for example, is also a great winger. Yes, Ajax has a good playing style, in which individual players come into their own even better because others create spaces.” The match between Ajax and Borussia Dortmund will start on Wednesday evening at 9 p.m.