Traoré chose to leave Chelsea and join Ajax in search of more playing time. The Amsterdam club was perfect for him because of European football and his good relationship with coach Peter Bosz. "We had a strong bond, even though he could be tough on me. We entered the Europa League to entertain the fans."
Undefeated
Traoré scored directly in the first group match against Panathinaikos, which was a relief for him. "I hadn't scored in five games and started to feel the pressure. That goal in Europe felt like liberation."
Ajax remained unbeaten in the group stage. "We truly accomplished something and became harder to beat as we went on. When you keep winning, your confidence grows," he explains. He also emphasised his good relationship with Hakim Ziyech and André Onana. "Hakim has a better pass than I do," he laughs. "We understood each other well, both on and off the field. We still speak occasionally."
Knockout stage
After the group stage, Ajax was drawn against Legia Warsaw, where Nick Viergever played a crucial role by scoring the only goal in the two-legged tie. "He was a significant player for the team. He wasn't a key player, but he was efficient," says Traoré. FC Copenhagen was the next hurdle in the tournament. In the Danish capital, Ajax lost, but they made up for it in Amsterdam. Thanks in part to a goal from the Burkinabe player, Ajax won 2-0. "We had a squad full of talents, allowing us to qualify for the next round."
The two-legged tie against Schalke 04 was special, especially the return match in Gelsenkirchen. "I was just talking about it with André the other day. He found it incredible. Later, they reached the semi-finals of the Champions League, but the emotions he felt during the Europa League were more intense. We didn’t think we would come this far."
Ajax – Olympique Lyon
The two-legged tie against Olympique Lyon caused a lot of stress. "The first leg was probably my best game in an Ajax shirt. In the second leg, I was sweating bullets. We weren't mature enough in this match. We started the game well and scored the first goal. Then we took it a bit too easy and were punished for it. We sweated it out," Traoré recalls.
Lost final
In the Europa League final, Ajax had to face José Mourinho's Manchester United. In the end, Ajax came away empty-handed. "It was just disappointing when you think about everything we had achieved. We actually deserved to win the final because of that. We tried, but they made sure we had no control. In the end, they were more efficient. It is what it is. We'll get another chance this season. We're going to do everything we can to succeed again this season," says Traoré.
