Arne Slot thinks that Feyenoord has a good chance of knocking out rival Ajax in De Kuip on Sunday. Although the trainer wants to emphasize that the win in De Kuip is not self-evident.
Arne Slot is not interested in who the favorite is, says the Feyenoord trainer in the run-up to the fraught match against Ajax. And who has more to lose in the packed Kuip on Sunday: neither his team nor the visitors from Amsterdam. Slot mainly says that he has ‘a lot of faith’ in a successful outcome of the titanic battle.
The team from Rotterdam are in shape, Ajax is not, although Slot was more nuanced about that. ,,Ajax did not win five times in the Eredivisie, but there was a long period without matches when the World Cup was played”, says Slot. ,,After the turn of the year, they played three games. They beat FC Den Bosch for the cup. And they played a draw against NEC and FC Twente. ,,And that they didn’t beat NEC was amazing considering the number of chances. And against FC Twente they played with ten players for a long time.”
It was not an attempt by Slot to duck. To temper expectations a bit in the run-up to the Classic. Because Slot also thinks that Feyenoord has all the weapons to win the match in Rotterdam. “But look how it works. We played 1-1 against FC Utrecht and then there were probably a lot of people who didn’t think our line-up was right. Then we beat PEC Zwolle and FC Groningen and we are the favourite. That is allowed, we also have a lot of faith in a good outcome.
,,But Marino Pusic put the probable line-up of Ajax on the board of our training complex today and then all the other options they can choose in Amsterdam and then names of players who can do something come along. Look, we don’t easily win at home against Fortuna Sittard, for example. Let alone Ajax. But again, we do believe in it.”
Hostile atmosphere
But that will be no different in Amsterdam. That club has often won in the cauldron and will also want to do so in a very hostile atmosphere without away fans. ,,In terms of atmosphere, I have experienced matches that you think could not be more fanatical. But if I have to believe the omens, it will become even more fanatical. Just as you hope that your players can surprise you in a positive way, you also hope that you can surprise the supporters.”
Pusic had also placed Steven Berghuis at Ajax in his presumed line-up. In midfield. Arne Slot hopes that the former captain of Feyenoord can simply finish his match in De Kuip on Sunday, although he also knows that a large part of the Rotterdam supporters is still very angry about the fact that he decided at the start of Slot to move from Rotterdam to Amsterdam.
I would feel bad for Steven if our supporters turned against him like that.
,,I would find it annoying for Steven if our supporters turn against him like that”, says Slot. “I tried to keep him in Rotterdam at the time, so I know him a bit. But above all I want the supporters to put all their energy into supporting our team. And don’t worry about the opponent.
Quinten Timber is already so fit at Feyenoord that there is a possibility that he will be part of the match selection. And in addition, defender Neraysho Kasanwirjo is on his way to Rotterdam. The team from Rotterdam and FC Groningen are out, Kasanwirjo will play for Feyenoord for the next four and a half years. The leader deposited a transfer amount of 1.5 million euros for the former youth player of Ajax.
Sunday comes too early for the brand new purchase. The Classic attracts a lot of attention, Slot also noticed. ,,You win matches by playing very fanatically and very aggressively. That will be the plan for both teams. We don’t add peripheral issues to that.”
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