Despite a total off-day visiting FC Twente, Ajax is still getting away well. Although the team from Amsterdam lost 3-1, they still close the season as number three in the Netherlands. “We got the maximum out of it,” says trainer John Heitinga after, according to him, the “crazy season” is over.
Ajax coach John Heitinga: “Getting the most out of it” – NH Sport / Stephan Brandhorst
Heitinga stepped four months ago when Ajax had not won seven games in a row and was in fifth place in the Eredivisie. The team from Amsterdam closes the season in third. “A lot has happened in the past four months with ups and downs.”
Total collapse
On a visit to FC Twente, Ajax took the lead ten minutes before the break via Dusan Tadic. Completely against the odds, because it had already survived some great opportunities from FC Twente. Immediately after the break, Heitinga’s team completely collapsed.
“That’s one you don’t see very often”
Within half a minute in the second half, the first goal against was already in. With the first goal against, Edson Álvarez was easily trumped by Joshua Brenet in his own penalty area. The right back then passed the ball and Manfred Ugalde was able to head in the 1-1 outright. A few minutes later, Julio Pleguezuelo was free on a free kick and headed in the ball. “That’s one that you don’t experience very quickly,” says Heitinga. “That is not possible at this level. That makes Twente even better.”
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Heitinga: “You don’t often experience this” – NH Sport / Stephan Brandhorst
Heitinga sat on the bench, stunned while his team simply gave away the goals against. Right back Devyne Rensch again recognized a structural error that his team is making. “We are not sharp for the first ten to fifteen minutes in the second half. That we start a bit weak. We know that. In the dressing room we also say that we know about the second half.”
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Devyne Rensch sees things go structurally wrong after the break – NH Sport / Stephan Brandhorst
Because AZ was unable to beat PSV, Ajax eventually finished the season in third place. After 34 rounds of play it ends on 69 points. At the beginning of next season, Ajax will play in the preliminary round of the Europa League, which means that the club will not play in the Champions League for the first time since the 2009-2010 season.