Squad fitness
Farioli spoke about the fitness of his squad on Tuesday. "Mika (Godts) has recovered from the issues he faced after the international break. He will also be part of the matchday squad tomorrow. Wout Weghorst is available for the match as well. Additionally, Owen Wijndal and Benjamin Tahirović are rejoining the first team. Wijndal brings attacking qualities as a full-back, and it's a significant boost to have players with his attributes back in the squad," said the head coach.
"Finally, Ahmetcan Kaplan will not be part of the squad tomorrow. He will first play with Ajax U23 this evening, and if all goes well, he will be available for the match this weekend."
The past month
Ajax has played few matches recently due to various cancellations. "It's a strange situation. We haven't played for almost a month. There are factors beyond our control, and we must adapt and respond to what happens," Farioli explained. "Our schedule has been disrupted with several changes. We've tried to find the best scenarios to keep our players fit. We attempted to organise friendly matches, which has been difficult during this period. Ultimately, we decided to play internal matches within the team."
"This situation was not ideal for the players' fitness, as the conditions we can create are not the same as a real match," continued the head coach. "Nevertheless, we are on the right track and look forward to playing in front of our supporters at our stadium again."
Resumption of the competition against Fortuna Sittard
Finally, Farioli also addressed the upcoming match against Fortuna Sittard at home. Ajax will kick off at 20:00 on Wednesday at the Johan Cruijff Arena. "This team is dangerous in attack, especially on the flanks. They also have multiple options and strategies for set pieces," said the Italian coach about the Limburg side. "It is crucial to minimise these moments as much as possible. In terms of their playing style, they show a lot of flexibility and bring variation to their game. They have also made a strong start to the Eredivisie season."
"Tomorrow (Wednesday) will be a challenge for us to get back on track and make our mark in the Eredivisie. It feels as though the competition is only beginning for us," concluded Farioli.
