Dusan Tadic is happy with Ajax’s performance in the away match against Young Boys. The captain of Ajax prepared Antony’s 0-1 and determined the final score himself from a penalty kick. The circumstances were not ideal, Tadic says afterwards ESPN. “We know that it is always difficult on synthetic turf. Young Boys trains on it every day and it is difficult for us,” he says.
“It plays an important role, but we have booked two nice victories on a good team”, concludes the Serbian, who was not the only one who was important in the preparation for the 0-1. He gave the decisive pass in the penalty area, but the attack came from a clever interception by Ryan Gravenberch after a throw-in by the home team. “He was very important. We know he can do this and that’s important. I told him he looked a bit like Rijkaard. It was nice to see.”
Erik ten Hag is also positive about Gravenberch’s performance. The trainer had assigned his pupil a ‘more controlling’ role and the midfielder initially had ‘a bit of difficulty’. “But at that moment he did exactly the right thing. He won a very decisive game and was at the basis of that goal,” said Ten Hag. “With his speed, he can correct the loss of the ball and guard the two strikers, along with Martínez and Álvarez. The cooperation with the backs is therefore important. In the beginning it was a bit of a search, but it got better as the game progressed.”
The only dissonance at Ajax narrowly escapes an unsatisfactory
Dusan Tadic was voted man of the match by Voetbalzone.
Ten Hag also praises Tadic’s contribution to the competition. After his seventeenth European goal for Ajax, the attacker is fifth on the club’s top scorers list, behind Sjaak Swart (18), Klaas-Jan Huntelaar (19), Johan Cruijff (23), Jari Litmanen (26). If the trainer at RTL7 is asked whether Tadic deserves a statue in Amsterdam, he replies in the affirmative. “That’s for sure. He is our captain. He is there every match, he is extremely important for the group and in the field he leads the way “, sums up the coach.” In terms of organization, in terms of starting point, in terms of playing football and in creating opportunities. Yes, we are of course very happy with him. ”
In the station’s studio, Jan Boskamp makes a small comment about the captain’s performance. “I didn’t think he took the penalty kick convincingly, compared to the way he normally takes it. Normally he looks at the ball, but now he didn’t look at all where that ball was going. I thought he was playing well again.” , the analyst concludes. Theo Janssen agrees with this. “He is a very good player and he is very important to Ajax. We already said it before the match: with his goals and assists he is just decisive. And today again.”
After the final whistle of the first half, a striking moment took place. Tadic traded his shirt with that of Miralem Sulejmani, who competed with Young Boys. “Micky is my friend. We played together in the Serbia Under-19, Under-21 and the A-squad. He is a good player and a good boy. It was nice to see him and play against him “, explains Tadic. The moment was discussed during the break with RTL7: Janssen did not take it too seriously. “I think the Young Boys trainer is less happy with it than the Ajax trainer, but they just take a clean shirt at half time, so it doesn’t matter.”