Ajax will go into Thursday evening's European play-off semi-final against FC Groningen without Josip Šutalo, Takehiro Tomiyasu and Ko Itakura. Oscar García confirmed the three absences before the match, which starts at 18:45, and said the setbacks were especially frustrating because the club only learned they would not be available on the day before the game.
The missing trio leaves Ajax with an immediate selection problem for a match they need to win to keep their European hopes alive. García said the team trained at the De Toekomst sports complex on Tuesday and made clear he wants “eleven fighters” on the pitch, stressing that every Ajax game carries the weight of a final. He said the squad must give one hundred percent for the club and that the pressure is part of life at Ajax.
There is recent history between the sides. Ajax beat Groningen 2-0 at home in December, but also lost 3-1 away to the same opponent in another meeting, a reminder that the tie is not a straightforward one for the hosts. Groningen arrive as the league's number nine, and García warned they can switch systems, press high and cover a lot of ground. “We need to contain their enthusiasm,” he said.
The match is part of the semi-finals of the European play-offs, with the prize a place in European football next season. García said Ajax should see it as a fresh chance to qualify for the UEFA Conference League, even if he was blunt about the club's broader expectations. He said finishing fifth is not in line with Ajax standards and added that the Conference League is not at the same level as the Champions League, though he also said the team must fight to win the competition if that is where they end up.
That broader ambition sits uneasily with the immediate reality in front of them. Ajax need to navigate the semi-final first, and if the match is level after ninety minutes, extra time follows. García said the club will not be thinking about that possibility at the start, though he allowed it could matter later in the game. His preferred outcome is simple: move on to the next match without needing the extra period.
García also dismissed the idea that he had made special preparations for the occasion, saying he had not done anything differently, including team-building exercises. For Ajax, the pressure is not new. It is part of the job, and on Thursday evening at 18:45 the team will have to show that it can cope with it while missing three defenders and carrying the expectations that come with the shirt.
Ajax are also set to wear their light blue third kit with dark blue accents in the 2026/2027 season, but first they must deal with Groningen and the consequences of one more playoff night that can tilt a season in one direction or another.
