Tomorrow Ajax hopes to win a home match for the first time in 25 years in the knockout phase of the Champions League. A win is needed to eliminate Benfica in the eighth finals after the 2-2 draw in Lisbon. Trainer Erik ten Hag can at least have a fully fit selection.
That means Edson Álvarez and Jurriën Timber can play against Benfica. The midfielder and central defender were in doubt. Álvarez had to duel with SC Cambuur of last Friday passed by due to illness and Timber came on fifteen minutes before time. Lisandro Martínez was absent due to a suspension.
Ten Hag is happy that those three players are available again. “It is always part of the whole, but it is the center. They are attuned to each other and complementary to each other. It is important if they could play together.”
In Portugal, the team from Amsterdam took the lead twice, but both times Benfica came alongside. “We did that properly before the break,” said Ten Hag at the press conference in the Johan Cruijff Arena. “It is a point of attention who goes forward and who stays behind. If we do that, we have a very good chance of getting a lap further tomorrow.”
25 years ago
Ajax must then try to win at home. The last time they succeeded in the knockout phase of the Champions League was on March 20, 1996 against Borussia Dortmund. Kiki Musampa scored the only goal of the game. Now Sébastien Haller is the right man to score. This season, the Ivorian, who was accurate in all CL matches, already scored eleven goals in the million-dollar ball.
Last week, Bayern Munich striker Robert Lewandowksi scored a hat-trick against RB Salzburg, putting the Pole on 12 goals this season. “I didn’t watch. I got messages and that kind of ruined my evening,” Haller laughs. “It’s no surprise that he made three. It’s also nice, because now I have to score another goal. I hope to score again, but the goal is to get to the next round.”
Finally, Ten Hag discussed the appointment of Klaas-Jan Huntelaar as the right-hand man of technical manager Gerry Hamstra. “It is great to fill in that work again. Ajax acted well. Klaas-Jan can contribute immediately and I think the players are happy with it.”