For Ajax, the adventure in the Europa League has come to an early end. On Thursday evening, coach John van 't Schip's team was no match for Olympique Marseille (4-3). The morning newspapers see Ajax playing better every week. It sounds like the fact that the arbitration made a number of questionable decisions did not help.
Anyone who thought that the first leg in the Johan Cruijff ArenA would offer a spectacle would definitely get their money's worth on Thursday evening. Two penalties, a red card for Steven Berghuis and seven goals shared between both teams. Ajax and Marseille produced no fewer than thirteen goals in both matches.
“It's not going well for Ajax,” headlines The Telegraph after the Marseille debacle. “Dubious penalties and a red card for Berghuis have destroyed Van 't Schip's resilient team. Offensively, the trio Berghuis, Brobbey and Steven Bergwijn are doing well with Forbs and Akpom behind them. However, Ajax remains particularly vulnerable internationally at the back.”
The big man on Ajax's side was Brobbey with two goals, he also saw it Algemeen Dagblad. “After a minor thigh injury, Van 't Schip immediately gave the strong striker preference over the accurate Akpom. Brobbey, frequently criticized for his assumption and completion, paid off that trust again after half an hour.”
Willem Vissers also agrees de Volkskrant signs of recovery. “Ajax, which recently went through life as a footballing zombie, is gradually regaining some of its proverbial beauty. But winning against Olympique Marseille in the Europa League was too much to ask.”
“The tension largely disappeared after more than an hour, when Berghuis once again showed that he is sometimes unreasonable on the field,” Vissers continues. “Such beautiful passes given before half time, and now a bizarre tackle on Correa's legs. Yes, Berghuis also hit the ball, but flying in like that is completely unacceptable and dangerous, and after VAR interference he saw the justified red card.”
Ajax must beat AEK Athens at home in two weeks to remain active in the Conference League after the winter. “That event was partly devised by former general manager Edwin van der Sar. Although Van der Sar said that he would quit if Ajax actually played in the Conference League, because that competition was below Ajax's position. But in December 2023 the Conference League is the highest achievement for Ajax,” is Vissers' painful final conclusion.