Ajax face FC Twente in the first of two season deciding clashes in De Kuip on Sunday. The Dutch Cup final is a prelude to the last match round of the Eredivisie on 15 May, in which both clubs will fight for the title.
Frank de Boer is confident: “I’ve got a good feeling”, the Ajax coach said on Friday. “We’ve got a young team, which is unstable. They have Bryan Ruiz and Theo Janssen, players who can make a difference in important matches, but I don’t consider Twente to be the favorites.”
Twente coach Michel Preud’homme tries to downplay Twente’s position as favorites as well. “No, I don’t think we’re clear cut favorites in the Cup Final. They have a young team all right, but Ajax is a tight squad. They play for the Cup and the title, that’s not a coincidence. Teams that end up in this position are the best of the season.”
Both De Boer and Preud’homme consider winning the title more important than the Cup. “Of course we want to win on Sunday”, De Boer said. “But the big one is next Sunday.” Ajax did not win the Dutch title since 2004. Both Twente and Ajax decided not to celebrate an eventual Cup victory, because they want to focus on the championship decider in Amsterdam.
Mounir El Hamdaoui will not be able to play in the Cupo finale. The striker, who is nopt very popular in Amsterdam after having troubles with De Boer, suffers from a hamstring injury. Striker Miralem Sulejmani will be available despite a slight muscle injury which kept him from the training pitch on Friday. FC Twente does not have severe injury problems, although Emir Bajrami is a question mark because of a sore back.
The title may be more important, Twente’s Peter Wisgerhof is dedicated to winning the Cup final as well. “If an opponent breaks through at a crucial stage in the final, I won’t hesitate to foul him”, the Twente captain said. “The title is important of course, but most of us have never won the Cup, so we really want to win this one.”
FC Twente won the Cup twice, the last time being ten years ago. Two of Twente’s current players were present in the final. Goal keeper Sander Boschker was Twente’s hero in the penalty shoot out and Arnold Bruggink played for PSV at the time.
Ajax and Twente faced each other in the Cup tournament nine time before and Ajax never lost. They faced each other in the final once in 1979, when Ajax won the replay 3-0 after drawing 1-1 in the first match. This time there will be no replay. In case of a draw, extra time and a penalty shoot out will be decisive.
At the beginning of this season FC Twente beat Ajax 1-0 in the match for the Johan Cruijff Schaal, the Dutch Super Cup. Luuk de Jong scored the only goal. In the league Ajax drew 2-2 at Twente in September.
Twente coach Michel Preud’homme tries to downplay Twente’s position as favorites as well. “No, I don’t think we’re clear cut favorites in the Cup Final. They have a young team all right, but Ajax is a tight squad. They play for the Cup and the title, that’s not a coincidence. Teams that end up in this position are the best of the season.”
Both De Boer and Preud’homme consider winning the title more important than the Cup. “Of course we want to win on Sunday”, De Boer said. “But the big one is next Sunday.” Ajax did not win the Dutch title since 2004. Both Twente and Ajax decided not to celebrate an eventual Cup victory, because they want to focus on the championship decider in Amsterdam.
Mounir El Hamdaoui will not be able to play in the Cupo finale. The striker, who is nopt very popular in Amsterdam after having troubles with De Boer, suffers from a hamstring injury. Striker Miralem Sulejmani will be available despite a slight muscle injury which kept him from the training pitch on Friday. FC Twente does not have severe injury problems, although Emir Bajrami is a question mark because of a sore back.
The title may be more important, Twente’s Peter Wisgerhof is dedicated to winning the Cup final as well. “If an opponent breaks through at a crucial stage in the final, I won’t hesitate to foul him”, the Twente captain said. “The title is important of course, but most of us have never won the Cup, so we really want to win this one.”
FC Twente won the Cup twice, the last time being ten years ago. Two of Twente’s current players were present in the final. Goal keeper Sander Boschker was Twente’s hero in the penalty shoot out and Arnold Bruggink played for PSV at the time.
Ajax and Twente faced each other in the Cup tournament nine time before and Ajax never lost. They faced each other in the final once in 1979, when Ajax won the replay 3-0 after drawing 1-1 in the first match. This time there will be no replay. In case of a draw, extra time and a penalty shoot out will be decisive.
At the beginning of this season FC Twente beat Ajax 1-0 in the match for the Johan Cruijff Schaal, the Dutch Super Cup. Luuk de Jong scored the only goal. In the league Ajax drew 2-2 at Twente in September.
