Ten Hag: "It has to do with courage" Football

A job in Benfica suffices in the magnificent Estádio da Luz, Lisbon's red light stadium. The Ajax will then "spend the winter" after thirteen years between the European elite.

"We have a chance," said coach Erik ten Hag. "And we want to take this in. We want to winter or at least take a big step forward," he told Benfica's draw in four points. "It will not be easy, because Benfica has also shown in Amsterdam that they have good players, but if we do well we also have room, we want to use it."

Ten Hag has noticed that Ajax had started badly during the first meetings with Benfica and Bayern Munich. "It has to do with courage," he concluded. "We have to dare to play our own game from the first whistle." Daley Blind quickly joined her coach. "Bold and daring will play an important role," he predicted

Benfica is not well and loses after Ajax (1-0) also in the competition of Belenenses (0-2) and Moreirense (1- 3). The call for the resignation of coach Rui Vitória seems stronger and stronger. Ten Hag spoke for his colleague. "I think he's done very good things," he answered a question from a Portuguese journalist. "He has a good and clear vision."

Ten Hag was less clear about his basic training planned for the cracker against Benfica. He will again have to choose between Donny van de Beek and David Neres when Kasper Dolberg can resume his position as central striker. He can both establish Neres and Van de Beek as Dusan Tadic, as well as against Bayern Munich, launch the attack.

Nearly 3,500 supporters travel to Lisbon to support Ajax. Some of them had already been heard during the training of their favorites in the stadium where Portugal had lost the European final of Greece in 2004 (0-1). "It gives so much support," said Blind. "Even in Munich, they have invaded everything, so as a player, you are giving something more."