Ajax - Groningen: García faces Volendam test at 18.45 with Europe at stake
Ajax - Groningen arrives Thursday at 18.45 in Volendam with Ajax trying to keep its European route alive after missing its main season goal. Óscar García has made the match bigger than one semifinal: he said he would accept not being Ajax trainer next season if the club reaches European football.
García and Ajax in Volendam
Ajax plays FC Groningen in the semifinal of the play-offs for European football, and the venue shift adds another layer to a match the club cannot treat casually. García said, “We hadden graag in de Johan Cruijff Arena gespeeld, maar het is niet anders. We mogen het niet gebruiken als excuus.”
The interim coach also sharpened the stakes for his own future. “Ik zou ervoor tekenen om volgend seizoen geen trainer van Ajax meer te zijn, als de club dan wel Europees voetbal speelt,” he said, while adding that the Conference League offers a path to a European title if Ajax qualifies.
Ajax injury list
Ajax must do it without Josip Sutalo, Ko Itakura and Takehiro Tomiyasu, all sidelined by injuries. That leaves García with a thinner defense for a match that has become a requirement after the club failed to hit its main objective for the season.
The results under García have been uneven. He took over in early March after coaching Jong Ajax, and Ajax has won only three of its eight matches since then. The play-off gives him and the squad a chance to finish the season with something more than survival language.
FC Groningen bonus
FC Groningen views the play-offs for a ticket to the Conference League as a bonus, which puts the pressure mostly on Ajax to handle the night. The other semifinal between FC Utrecht and sc Heerenveen starts later on Thursday at 21.00, but Ajax first has to get past Groningen in Volendam.
García’s message to his players was direct: “Iedereen moet zijn verantwoordelijkheid nemen, want de huidige prestaties passen niet bij Ajax. Het is een privilege om voor deze club te spelen, dat moeten ze uitstralen.” For Ajax, the first step is simple enough. Beat Groningen, and the route to Europe stays open.
