Steven Berghuis is happy that Ryan Gravenberch will soon be joining the Ajax selection again. Berghuis, who impressed as a left midfielder in the Eredivisie match against Heracles Almelo (3-0 win) and Wednesday evening in the TOTO KNVB Cup match with Vitesse (5-0 win), says that Gravenberch will return on Thursday. in the selection after a quarantine period. During the interview after the cup victory, Berghuis realizes that he was not supposed to share the information about his teammate.
While Berghuis made his minutes at Ajax this season mainly as an attacking midfielder, last week, in the absence of Gravenberch, he also showed that he could also play excellently as a left midfielder. After the match against Vitesse, Berghuis is in front of the camera of ESPN asked if Gravenberch has already texted him. “To me?” Berghuis says with a laugh. “I think he’s coming tomorrow, he’s had enough. He didn’t feel anything, but he’s still in quarantine. Oh, I can’t really say that?” Berghuis does not expect Gravenberch to lose his starting spot. “Ryan is also a good ball player. We need him too.”
As number 8, Berghuis was frequently involved in the attacking game of the team from Amsterdam against Vitesse. “As long as I get to the ball a lot and hit the ball often. If I can pull the game towards me, I feel very comfortable with it. I got into that rhythm, especially in the first half. That brings nice variations and dynamics into the game.” It comes as no surprise to the 33-time international of the Dutch national team that he can play well as a left midfielder. “Of course it is adapting, but in youth I have always played left half. That’s kind of coming back now. Of course it has to go well, we are well helped by the trainers. The trainers set us up well in the positions. A lot of information precedes that.”
Ten Hag lets himself in after the large cup victory over Vitesse ESPN also praise Berghuis. “I thought he played great again. The triangle with him, Daley Blind and Dusan Tadic has feelings for each other. It agrees. When Ryan (Gravenberch, ed.) dropped out, this was an ABC for me,” says Ten Hag. “I think we played excellently. The trainer certainly enjoyed it and I think the fans did too. a lot of energy in the team. This is what I want to see and I hope we can continue this.”