The analysts of RTL 7 and Ziggo Sports differences of opinion about André Onana playing in the Champions League match between Besiktas and Ajax. Wesley Sneijder and Theo Janssen are not in favor of it, but Rafael van der Vaart understands Erik ten Hag’s choice well. The goalkeeper makes his first appearance since January 31, after being sidelined for ten months due to a doping suspension.
Ten Hag could choose from Onana, Remko Pasveer and Jay Gorter. “To be honest, I would rather have seen Gorter. With what happened, I would not have prepared Onana,” says Janssen in the broadcast of RTL 7. “What happened has quite a lot of influence. Many supporters are also turned off.” The former midfielder would have liked Gorter to have gained some experience in Istanbul. “This was a moment when he could show whether he is ready to perform at this level. Now you still don’t know. Next week you will wonder whether Gorter can do something about it. Gorter will also be there next year. in the service of Ajax; Onana is then simply gone.”
Sneijder and Janssen agree: Gorter should have played instead of Onana. “This would have been a moment to show: we don’t let ourselves be treated that way”.#UCL #BESAJA pic.twitter.com/5nDu3U1ncW
— VTBL ? (@vtbl) Nov 24, 2021
Sneijder is not convinced by the argument that Ajax receives a premium of 2.8 million euros with a victory. “No, those finances aren’t important anymore, are they? They have already earned fantastic money in the Champions League. You just have to look at what is best for the team, for the club, for the supporters and for everything and everyone around it. Then you will not draft Onana,” says Sneijder. “At least, I would never have done that. Of course he has been important to Ajax, but he is also leaving Ajax behind now. This was a great moment for Ajax to show: we will not let ourselves be treated like this. You have to think about the future for a longer period of time, not just for now. Of course he is a fantastic goalkeeper who will do well elsewhere, but yes.”
Onana has an expiring contract and does not intend to sign. Still, Van der Vaart thinks that it is ‘the right time’ to position the keeper. “Pasveer has done incredibly well, even beyond expectations. You can hardly get it out. But Onana is the absolute world top,” says the analyst of Ziggo Sports. “If he has the same form as before his suspension, he is the best goalkeeper that Ajax has. And if you want to win the Champions League, you have to draft him, no matter how painful that is for Pasveer.”
According to transfer market expert Fabrizio Romano, the starting position does not change Onana’s contract situation. There are no plans to extend his expiring commitment; the journalist reports that the goalkeeper will leave Amsterdam in the summer and has reached an oral agreement with Internazionale. Van der Vaart does not want to ‘punish’ Onana by keeping him on the bench. “He has a contract. He could have said he would sign another year for the club, but that is football. Mino Raiola is not stupid either. You can say anything about him, but he is not stupid. If you have him , you have to use it.”
André Onana starts for Ajax tonight after his suspension, @MikeVerweij announce. But there’s no plan to extend his contract – the goalkeeper will leave the club at the end of the season. ???? #AjaxOnana has a verbal agreement with Inter to join as free agent – not signed yet.
— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) Nov 24, 2021
“Nobody in the whole of the Netherlands would have thought that Pasveer could do this,” adds Van der Vaart. “It was fine with Vitesse and PSV, but he is very good with his feet. It has to do with confidence. I think he has developed incredibly at his age. It is really stupid, but there is a better keeper .” The question now is whether Pasveer will return under the bar in the coming weeks. “Erik ten Hag is not doing this for nothing. Why would he use him if he no longer wants to use it at all? Everyone was done with him, then they would not have set him up now. Ten Hag also knows if we want to win the Champions League We’re going to need him again.”
Ajax setup: onana; Mazraoui, Schuurs, Martinez, Tagliafico; Gravenberch, Berghuis, Klaassen; Neres, Tadic, Daramy.