Ajax broke with club tradition on Sunday by starting the match against AZ with five defenders. Jordy Clasie, the captain of AZ, remarkably reveals afterwards that this plan had been known in Alkmaar for a long time. “We had already heard it,” Clasie says in front of the camera ESPN.

John van 't Schip explained for weeks that a new system would not be the solution at Ajax. There was a big surprise for the outside world when the line-up of the Amsterdam team was announced on Sunday afternoon, but not for AZ.

“We actually already knew a bit yesterday that they would no longer play in their familiar line-up,” Clasie reveals. “You always have people who communicate via-via. That's just how it works in football.”

“That had already reached us. We already had a suspicion that they would play with five behind and try to create a square in midfield.” AZ prepared well for this and scored the opening goal in the eighth minute through Ruben van Bommel.

“In the first twenty minutes we played strongly and had it well under control. Then we gave it away a bit. They found the free man in midfield a number of times, so you start to have doubts a bit. Five or six balls were played. “We just crossed the sideline. That was strange, because we started the match well. I don't think they changed anything, it was our fault.”

AZ took over Kristijan Belic from Partizan Belgrade during the winter break. Clasie is asked about how he is working with the 22-year-old Serbian in midfield. “AZ often buys players in the winter to let them get used to it for six months. This boy plays straight and has to be there immediately. Of course he will have his lesser moments, but this boy will grow with us. He intercepts a lot of balls, even today .He can be a good player for us.”

Thanks to the victory, AZ received four strong hands. Ajax is now six points behind. Clasie therefore speaks of a 'nice victory'. “That is clear. It was already a great match beforehand, especially because of the battle for fourth place. And in the phase we have been in for a long time, this is very nice.”

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