Lassina Traoré applied for a permanent base place at Ajax on Saturday. The striker, who started for the second consecutive game in the Eredivisie from kick-off, scored no less than five times in the 0-13 victory over VVV-Venlo. However, the question is whether his performance is enough to earn a starting place in Tuesday night’s Champions League match against Atalanta. At the table Studio Football It will be discussed on Sunday evening whether Erik ten Hag should also choose Traoré in a European context.

Theo Janssen expects that Ten Hag will choose to do ‘something with Dusan Tadic’. The captain started from the left against VVV, just like in the Champions League match against Liverpool (0-0) on Wednesday. In that game, Mohammed Kudus started as a striker, but he sustained a serious meniscus injury early in the game. “Maybe Traoré will leave”, Janssen predicts. “But then again, why not leave it? I would leave it.”

Pierre van Hooijdonk is also impressed by Traoré. “I’ve always been a fan of Traoré and I thought he was shot a little too early. He just shoots five. If you leave him in the league, he will be the top scorer”, predicts the former attacker, who in 2002 himself became the top scorer of the Eredivisie at Feyenoord. Leonne Stentler, former international of the Orange Lionesses, would not draw Traoré in the base against Atalanta.

“I don’t think Traoré is ready for this yet”, notes the former right back of ADO Den Haag and Ajax. “In his first moments against VVV, he has two incredible misses. In such a Champions League match, everything has to hit immediately. He would be the ultimate substitute, but I would not start with him.” Traoré himself said in it on Sunday Algemeen Dagblad that he hopes for a basic place. “I want to be the first striker and I try to use every minute I get to send the trainer the message that I am ready.”

Because of the win, Aax not only leads the Eredivisie, but also has by far the best goal difference in the competition. However, it would surprise Arno Vermeulen if the goal difference turns out to be decisive in the battle for the national title. “I have the feeling that Ajax will be champion with flying colors this season. This team is so much better than the competition, also in width. Players who come back from an injury can play once and do not have to play every time. Feyenoord does not have that breadth, “Vermeulen points out.