After the draw in the Johan Cruijff ArenA against Olympique Marseille (3-3), Ajax faces the second test in the Europa League group stage. The team from Amsterdam will compete in Greece against AEK Athens, the champion of the 2022/23 Super League. Maurice Steijn revealed at the press conference who will appear at the kick-off. Only Benjamin Tahirovic makes an appearance.
Tahirovic had just lost his place against Marseille. The midfielder made bad passes and was replaced by Silvano Vos at halftime. The latter came on strongly, but had to leave the field in the final phase with a second yellow card. Steijn is therefore forced to intervene.
Where Vos is now gaining confidence in the Eredivisie, Tahirovic is taking his place as controller. The Bosnian will be joined by Kenneth Taylor and Steven Berghuis in midfield. Steven Bergwijn, Brian Brobbey and Carlos Forbs form the attacking trio, just like against RKC Waalwijk (2-3 lead, stopped after 85 minutes). There are also no changes in defense.
This means that Gastón Ãvila will again start as left central defender. Jorrel Hato is preferred at left back over summer signing Borna Sosa. Steijn thought it went ‘reasonably well’ against RKC, he said. “Although I also think that it is not yet good enough and that we have to be better and more stable. We cannot be uncertain with every cross and counter-attack and we have to radiate more.”
Jay Gorter, Devyne Rensch and Josip Sutalo complete the Amsterdam line-up. The latter in particular has come under a lot of criticism in recent weeks. The Croat would make ‘an insecure impression’, something that RKC striker Michiel Kramer already confirmed. “That Sutalo… he just made the rest insecure,” Kramer recently chimed in Veronica Offside.
However, AEK player Nordin Amrabat fears the reunion with Sutalo. The former Eredivisie player already faced the man marker in the preliminary round of the Champions League (against Dinamo Zagreb, 4-3 for AEK over two matches). “Sutalo played like a boss against us twice. Write that down. Our striker Levi Garcia is not the easiest to play against,” Amrabat said Ajax Life.
AEK, leader in Group B
AEK caused a sensation two weeks ago by defeating Brighton & Hove Albion 2-3 in England. That is why MatÃas Almeyda’s team leads Group B after one match. In addition to Amrabat, former Eredivisie striker Tom van Weert is also under contract with AEK. The match kicks off at 6:45 PM and can be seen at Veronica and ESPN2.