David Neres was preferred to Antony in the match between Ajax and FC Groningen (3-1) on Sunday and asserted himself with an assist on Sébastien Haller. The Brazilians are good friends off the field, but compete within the lines. Ajax coach Erik ten Hag notes in conversation with it Algemeen Dagblad that more and more ‘struggles’ arise.
“I think it is a struggle. They are the best of friends, but they both want to play. They know that they have to bring returns if they want to play a lot. Neres is getting stronger by the day and Antony has been achieving a very high level for a long time, ”Ten Hag says. The trainer concludes that the two Brazilians have ‘the same profile’. Neres and Antony are both from São Paulo.
In the first half of the season, Antony was usually preferred by Ten Hag, partly because Neres was sidelined for a while with an ankle injury. The attacker who arrived at Ajax last summer was good for 9 goals and 10 assists in 32 official matches. His fellow countryman Neres has played 24 official matches this season, in which he managed to provide 5 goals and 2 assists.
“I think David has a lot of depth without the ball, Antony can still develop that. Antony is better at printing, but otherwise they are very similar to me ”, Ten Hag analyzes. The coach may choose Neres and Antony next Thursday in the first leg of the eighth final of the Europa League against the Swiss Young Boys, since Haller is not entitled to play for that game. It is likely that Dusan Tadic then plays in the point of the attack and is flanked by the two Brazilians.