Ajax moved into final match preparation on Wednesday and then traveled to Schiphol Airport ahead of Thursday's first UEFA Conference League play-off match against FC Sion in Switzerland. The first leg is set for 20:15, with a place in the League Phase of the UEFA Conference League at stake.
The timing matters for Ajax, which is trying to steady itself after a 2-2 draw with sc Heerenveen on Sunday. Ajax led 2-0 in that match before the points slipped away, so the trip to Switzerland brings an immediate chance to reset with a European result that actually counts.
Wednesday's schedule before Sion vs Ajax
Ajax trained at the de Toekomst training complex on Wednesday under head coach Míchel Sánchez before leaving for Schiphol Airport. The team will also inspect the pitch at Stade de Tourbillon on Wednesday evening, part of the normal buildup before a first leg away from home.
That first leg will be played in Switzerland on Thursday, and the return leg will follow next week at the Johan Cruijff ArenA in Amsterdam. For Ajax, that home second leg offers a familiar setting, but the job will start away from home, where the margin for error is usually smaller in a two-legged tie.
What Ajax are playing for
This matchup is straightforward: Ajax and FC Sion are fighting for a place in the League Phase of the UEFA Conference League. The first match in Switzerland will shape the return leg in Amsterdam, and Ajax will want to come home with something manageable to work with.
There was also a personal note from Jofre Torrents, who said, “I'm going to give everything I have for this club.” It is the kind of message that fits a play-off week, especially when the pressure is on and the next step depends on two legs rather than one.
With the first meeting coming Thursday at 20:15, Ajax now shifts from training-ground preparation to the real test. The away leg in Switzerland comes first, but the decisive answer will come next week in Amsterdam.
