Same teams, same deficit: Ajax resumes the canceled Classic and this is what you can expect

In the Johan Cruijff Arena, the frustration among the supporters reached a boiling point in the match against Feyenoord. The Rotterdam team led 0-3 in Amsterdam. What followed was a series of misconduct in both the stands and outside the stadium. A spectator threw beer on the field and later fireworks were thrown on the field on the F-Side side. Referee Serdar Gözübüyük had to stop the match according to protocol. What followed was total chaos outside the stadium.

Pitch black day

While a large part of the more than 55,000 spectators left the stadium peacefully and with great frustration about the course of events, some of the supporters were particularly angry. The main entrance to the Johan Cruijff Arena was stormed and a small group of hooligans stood inside. Pavement tiles flew through the air outside and the riot police used tear gas to calm the crowd. The pitch-black day in Dutch football was born.

An upset Jan van Halst appeared in front of the ESPN cameras. At the beginning of September he was appointed temporary general manager of Ajax. “We had already scaled up in advance because we wanted to prevent this at all costs, but that did not work and that hurts very much,” said a visibly tense Van Halst. A frustrated Ajax coach Maurice Steijn also spoke of a ‘pitted black afternoon’ in the Arena. Not only because his team was 0-3 behind Feyenoord after 55 minutes, but also because of the disturbances around the battle scene.

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Around half past five, according to the police, it was somewhat quiet around the stadium again and the political game began about what to do with the remainder of the match. The situation was that Feyenoord led 0-3 after 55 minutes of football, after which various noises were heard. “Everything that has been decided now is distortion of competition,” said Feyenoord coach Arne Slot. Ajax played on Thursday and we played on Tuesday, so not only mentally, but also physically, their least phase would be just now. In any case, it is unfair to competition. The question is what the KNVB will do to limit this as much as possible,” Slot said immediately afterwards.

Threaten legal action

With the suspension of the match, there was also a lot of uncertainty about when it would be finished. Playing away on that day was not an option, after which the parties discussed the how and what. Playing away quickly posed a problem, because Ajax was supposed to play against FC Volendam tonight. Ajax and Feyenoord have a busy schedule due to European obligations. The first possible free date would therefore only be in November during a cup round in which both Ajax and Feyenoord do not yet have to participate.

Feyenoord were not keen to make up the remaining 35 minutes in November and were considering taking legal action if they did. The KNVB decided on Monday afternoon that the match will be played on Wednesday afternoon at 2 p.m., without fans. The match between Ajax and FC Volendam must therefore be moved. “This is unfair competition,” an angry Volendam chairman Jan Smit wrote on Instagram. The people of Volendam were angry about the decision.

The people of Amsterdam, and also the people of Volendam, initially did not seem to agree both threatened legal action. Ultimately, both teams accepted the KNVB’s decision, but dissatisfaction with how the football association had arrived at the decision remained.

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In the meantime, a lot of attention was also paid to the problem with football supporters. Earlier this year, the Classic in Rotterdam was stopped after the ‘lighter incident’ with Davy Klaassen. Now it has happened in Amsterdam and Mayor Femke Halsema is now quite fed up with it. “The club is responsible for what happens in the stadium and has its own security staff for this. The agreement is that there are no fireworks allowed in the stadium. Apparently there is insufficient frisking, because this is not the first time,” Halsema said. on Monday News hour.

“There should be one-on-one searches. I also think that nets should be hung at the F-side and that stadium bans should be issued, if necessary for life. And they should also be enforced,” says Halsema, who advises keep boxes empty. “If there is so much misconduct among a group of hooligans, you will have to stand up and show what you do and do not accept.”

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Resumption

After threats of legal action, mayor Femke Halsema who wants more measures and disappointed supporters, the ball will roll again in the Johan Cruijff Arena this afternoon at 2 p.m. This is done without a kick-off, because the game continues from the moment the match was stopped. This means that Feyenoord gets the ball about ten meters in Ajax’s half. At the moment the whistle blew, Feyenoord player Mats Wieffer was standing there with the ball. The match starts with a referee’s ball.

Wieffer is one of the players who should be on the field this afternoon. The same 22 names that were on the field when the match was stopped must start again. Only players who become injured before the game starts may be replaced. This injury must be proven by a KNVB club doctor, so that no tactical advantage can be gained from it.

The position of the Amsterdammers is therefore almost certainly known. Gorter; Rensch, Sutalo, Hato, Salah-Eddine; Van den Boomen, Taylor, Vos; Berghuis, Brobbey and Forbs are on the field. Anton Gaaei – Sunday’s schlemiel – and Borna Sosa are also no longer allowed to play, as they have already been substituted. The coach therefore only has three substitutions left today, while his rival Slot can make five more substitutions.

The match between Ajax and Feyenoord will resume at 2 p.m. in an empty Johan Cruijff Arena.