In the press room of the Johan Cruyff ArenA, the first question from the journalists present concerns Steven Berghuis. Heitinga has news. "Steven is not fit enough to play tomorrow, so he is not in the squad. I would have liked to have him with us, but he will not make this match. Whether he will be available on Sunday remains to be seen."
Eager
The players who are taking part are ready. "We have to be good tomorrow and for that we need everyone: the players, the staff and the fans. You can sense from everyone that we are happy to be playing on the biggest stage. Everyone is eager and wants to be on the pitch. It is up to us to show that we can compete."
"But we are facing a tough opponent," Heitinga continues calmly. "They are physical, strong at set pieces and a team with enormous drive. At times we will also have to chase the ball; that is also a mental challenge, and agreements have to be kept. Of course there will be space and moments when we feel we can get into the game, because they are Italians. But we have to be sharp and alert. With their individual quality, we cannot afford to switch off for even a second."
Ajax must be in top form to get a result, Heitinga insists. "We have to be realistic because this may well be the strongest opponent for us in the League Phase. But once again: we have to be good in everything. We will play tomorrow in our own way and I think the first half against PEC Zwolle is a certain standard we want to see. But the second half was weaker and we dropped in level. That has to be better and there has to be more balance."
Familiar opponent
Ajax captain Klaassen has a past with Inter. "I had a wonderful year there and I am happy to see everyone again." The midfielder is clear about the strength of the team. "It is a side that has been together for a long time and with the new manager there may be a few different nuances. But they are well-drilled and they have patterns that have been there for years."
"On top of that, they have enormous individual quality with some world-class players. And as a team they are very strong with all their certainties and the maturity they possess. That is why I think Inter are one of the strongest teams in Europe at the moment," Klaassen says.
On Wednesday evening Heitinga will meet an old acquaintance: Cristian Chivu. The former Ajax player is currently head coach of the Italians. The pair once played together at Ajax. "Cristian was captain at that time. I got injured back then and he always paid attention to me. I will be glad if I can give him a hug tomorrow."
Inter's style of play
On Chivu's style of play, Heitinga has the following thoughts. "Knowing him, he will press high. But there is a lot of quality there and the core of their squad has been together for a long time. We know it will be tough. I think Inter are a side with many automatisms and a lot of experience."
With the Italians, it is still uncertain whether striker Lautaro Martínez will feature. According to an Italian journalist in the room, he will not start. "He can make the difference and has exceptional qualities. The player who replaces him will be of a high level, so we will see if he does not play," says Heitinga.
In the press room the coach is asked about the physical aspect of the opposition. "You have to compete in the duels and sometimes be smarter. But you must anticipate the situations that arise." Klaassen agrees. "They are physical and there is a lot of football intelligence. But as the coach says: you have to play the duels when necessary. Of course you would prefer to avoid them, but you cannot always. It is part of football."
What also belongs to football are changes. Klaassen recognises that Ajax are still in a building phase. "It is difficult to say where we stand compared to last year. But with a new staff and new players, at this stage you are always a team in development. We are not yet at the level we want to be, but I am always positive."
Atmosphere in the city
Finally, the pair are asked about the atmosphere in the city in the run-up to the return of Champions League football in Amsterdam. "It's not as if the Champions League anthem is played in every little shop I go into," Klaassen laughs. "But sometimes people do mention it in the city, which is great."
