The coach and Henderson looked ahead to the European clash in the Johan Cruijff Arena. They discussed the busy schedule, the team's fitness, and the match against Go Ahead Eagles in Deventer.
On the draw against Go Ahead Eagles
Farioli saw on Saturday that Ajax still have much to improve in their game. The Amsterdam-based team could not get past a 1-1 draw against Go Ahead Eagles. "The frustration was high afterwards. We wanted to do everything to secure the three points. You don’t win the game with the club’s history or the Ajax name. We also need to give credit to the opponent and the intensity they showed."
Henderson: "There are many areas we can improve on. Hopefully, we can show that tomorrow (Thursday). It’s already a challenge to demonstrate this. With small details, we could have done better in Deventer, like winning second balls and winning duels in general."
On the match against Besiktas
Farioli worked as a coach in Turkey between 2020 and 2023, so he faced Besiktas, the opponent, on Thursday evening. "But the team is different from when I worked in Turkey. I know the club and who they are. They always compete for titles and have a rich history. However, they have many different players than during my time in Turkey."
"I don’t know if this is our biggest challenge. We've already faced some strong opponents. But Besiktas have a lot of individual qualities. The level of competition will be high. We shouldn’t be ‘afraid’, but ‘respectful’ is the best word. If you’re afraid, then you freeze. Anton Gaaei won’t be available for us. As for Youri Baas, we’ll evaluate his condition after today’s training. Davy Klaassen will, of course, not play, as he’s not eligible to play in Europe."
On the new Europa League format
"It’s a journey of discovery," said Farioli. "It’s difficult to predict who will do well. We need to approach every match like a final. It is what it is. For many players, it’s also a good opportunity to get minutes at a high level."
Henderson also touched on the number of matches per season. "When something is new, you don’t know if it will be good. I’m more traditional. But this could be an interesting change. We’ll only know after a year or so whether it works. There are more matches now. Especially for players who also compete internationally, the schedule is packed. It’s a lot when you think about it. It would help if you considered the players’ health. Footballers hardly get any breaks or holidays during the season."
