Ajax Unfazed by Eredivisie Pursuits as Europa League Exit Looms

Ajax head coach Francesco Farioli has confirmed that he will not make any compromises for Thursday’s UEFA Europa League clash in Frankfurt, despite his team’s ongoing pursuit of the Eredivisie title in the Netherlands.

Currently, Ajax sits eight points clear at the top of the Dutch Eredivisie, ahead of second-placed PSV. However, they suffered a setback last week, losing the first leg of their Europa League round of 16 tie 2-1 at home to Eintracht Frankfurt, leaving them in a challenging position for the return fixture.

With a critical match against AZ looming this Sunday—one that Ajax has lost to twice already this season—Farioli remains adamant that he won’t sacrifice the team’s chances in Europe for domestic considerations.

“Given our performances, it’s unnecessary,” he stated during the pre-match press conference.

This season, Ajax has recorded just one league defeat, which notably followed a European match. “In that regard, we might be record holders in Europe.”

Striker Concerns

A key challenge for Farioli ahead of the game in Frankfurt is the striker situation. Last Sunday, Brian Brobbey was forced off just 15 minutes into the match against PEC due to a knee injury. While he has travelled with the team to Germany, whether he will feature in Thursday’s match remains uncertain.

“He’s not in peak condition, having taken several knocks in our last two challenging games,” Farioli explained. “Right now, he needs to recover, but I believe the chances of him playing are quite significant.”

With Wout Weghorst and makeshift forward Christian Rasmussen both sidelined through injury, Farioli’s options narrow to winger Bertrand Traore, alongside U21 strikers Don-Angelo Konadu and Julian Rijkhoff.

“I wouldn’t rule out the possibility of Brobbey starting; however, we must make a sound decision. I’ll consult with our medical staff tomorrow.”

“Of course, how Brobbey feels will also play a critical role in the final decision,” he added.

Ajax will be without captain Jordan Henderson for the match against Eintracht Frankfurt due to suspension, but they will have goalkeeper Matheus at their disposal after receiving UEFA’s approval to replace the injured Remko Pasveer.

The match between Eintracht Frankfurt and Ajax is set to kick off on Thursday evening at 18:45 CET.