Erik ten Hag can have an almost completely fit selection in the reunion of Ajax with Benfica in the eighth finals of the Champions League. Only Remko Pasveer is still injured. Jurriën Timber and Edson Álvarez are fully fit again, after both were missing in the match against SC Cambuur (2-3) last Friday. Both are expected to start in the Johan Cruijff ArenA on Tuesday evening.
In the absence of Álvarez, Erik ten Hag opted for a midfield in Leeuwarden with Ryan Gravenberch, Davy Klaassen and Steven Berghuis. One of those three will most likely move to the bank now that the Mexican is available again and according to the General Newspaper Klaassen will be the victim. Timber came in for Perr Schuurs twenty minutes before the end against Cambuur. According to The Telegraph is Timber ‘ready to start’ and so is the General Newspaper places the youngster in the starting line-up of Ajax. In that case, Schuurs will sit on the couch.
Ten Hag said during the press conference on Tuesday how important it is for him that he can have Timber and Álvarez again. “They are always part of the whole, but they are the axis of your team. They are attuned to each other and complementary to each other. They reinforce each other. But on Friday evening in Leeuwarden there was another player as number six and he was by far the best player on the field”, the Ajax coach referred to Gravenberch.
Ajax is not only playing for a place in the quarterfinals on Tuesday evening: there is also a lot of money to be made. All quarter-finalists of the Champions League receive a premium of 10.6 million euros. The receipt of a full Johan Cruijff ArenA for the home game against Benfica is 1.9 million euros. After the group stage, Ajax had already earned almost 65 million euros from the Champions League season.
The first match between Ajax and Benfica in Lisbon ended in 2-2 three weeks ago. Goals in away matches are no longer the deciding factor in a tie this season. The meeting in Amsterdam will start at 9 pm and will be led by a Spanish referee: Carlos del Cerro Grande.
Probable Ajax line-up: onana; Mazraoui, Timber, Martinez, Blind; Alvarez, Gravenberch; Antony, Berghuis, Tadic; Haller.