'THAT HAS CHANGED UNDER THIS NEW MANAGER'
At the back L2R: Predrag Rajkovic, Sean Steur, Kasper Dolberg, Mika Godts, Maher Carrizo and Oscar Gloukh. At the front L2R: Mats Rots, Kian Fitz-Jim, Youri Baas (c), Takehiro Tomiyasu and Anton Gaaei.
Ajax kicked off their adventure in the 2026/2027 UEFA Champions League in a home game against Salzburg. Given the quite heavy opposition and the fact that the Amsterdam side were playing at home, this was an immediate must-win for Marzec' Mokum team (Mokum is a local nickname for the city of Amsterdam). On paper, the game was between equals in more than just assumed level of play; both teams focus heavy on youngsters, while also holding onto a form of attacking play that has almost been declared sacred at both clubs. But where Ajax are always playing a form of attacking wing play in a 4-3-3 formation (or a variation thereof), Salzburg usually stays true to the more direct Red Bull style and often opt for an attacking 4-2-2-2 system.
Ajax took the initiative; this was after all their game to lose. Kasper Dolberg opened the score, after Maher Carrizo penetrated deep on the right flank. He whipped the ball into the centre, after which Dolberg was first to hammer in the ball. The opening goal had a paralyzing goal however. For the next 20 minutes, Ajax were pushed backwards. Around the half hour mark, it was Anton Gaaei with an inaccurate ball on Kian Fitz-Jim. Maurits Kjærgaard intercepted and sent Yorbe Vertessen deep. The ex-PSV player did not doubt and signed his name to the equalizer.
'But this is where things have changed under this new manager', said Wesley Sneijder analyzing the game for Dutch TV. 'Normally you get a goal against, you lose momentum, you cave in, you try to play it safe: damage control. Not under Daniel Marzec. Whether it was against NEC (5-1 win), Twente (4-1 win) or Fortuna (8-1 win), everytime Ajax suffer a goal against, they wake up suddenly and hunt for a goal themselves. And so far, they've never failed, they always retaliate quickly!'. Things were no different here: less than four minutes after the equalizer, Ajax retook a lead: courtesy of -who else- Kasper Dolberg. All in all, Ajax and Salzburg each had the initiative half of the first playing time. A game of equals indeed. 'But Ajax won the game, after the half time break', Sneijder stated. The home team claimed possession and when Kian Fitz-Jim saw left back Mats Rots go deep, the midfielder lobbed the ball straight forward into the box, for Rots to volley the ball straight into the net: 3-1. The attacking left wing back celebrated with the club mascot Lucky (photo).
From that moment, Ajax were able to control the game until the end. The Austrian visitors were unable to pose a threat anymore. The only downside was that in an attempt to copy his teammate's goal, Sean Steur injured himself and is probably out until the end of October. 'It is a stain on an otherwise very good start to our European campaign', Ajax-head coach Daniel Marzec said, 'We have three of what I think ought to become 10 or even 12 points'. Ajax continue in UEFA Champions League with Arsenal visiting on September 29th. The last time England's runner-up from Londo visited was 21 years ago, on September 27th 2005: back then Arsenal left having won 2-1 in the Arena, with goals from Freddy Ljungberg and Robert Pires.
