Things must be very strange if Ajax does not want to progress to the group stage of the Champions League. After the 0-6 against FC Zürich Frauen last week, things can hardly go wrong. It would be the first time since the new format of the tournament that a Dutch club has done this. “We’re not going to give this away anymore.”
The atmosphere is good at the penultimate training of the Ajax Women. The sun is shining and many Ajax players are playing with a big smile on their faces. “We really want to show our own audience that what we did last week, we can also do at home,” says trainer Suzanne Bakker. “The players are looking forward to Wednesday.”
According to striker Romée Leuchter, it can hardly go wrong. “If we get through the group stage, we will of course play top matches. That is good for the club, but also for me as a player,” she says. “Playing in the Champions League is a dream come true for everyone.”
The fact that Ajax put Zurich aside so easily in the first leg was a surprise to captain Sherida Spitse. “It does feel a bit like a historic moment,” she says. “Now we can take a big step and play on the highest stage. If that is possible with the club you really support, that is fantastic.”
The kick-off of Ajax Women against FC Zürich is Wednesday at 7:00 PM at the Toekomst.