The Dutch FA want to give Ajax the best chance possible of reaching the final
Ajax will not have to play a league fixture ahead of the first leg of their semi-final tie against Tottenham Hotspur in this season’s Champions League after the Dutch FA decided to postpone an entire round of Eredivisie fixtures.
The Dutch side reached the last four of the competition for the first time in 22 years thanks to a Matthijs De Ligt header that saw them edge past Juventus in a dramatic quarter-final. Spurs also reached the semi-finals for the first time since the competition became the Champions League in even more dramatic circumstances, as VAR disallowed an injury time goal that would have put Manchester City into the final four.
Neither side expected to be here, but here they are. And Dutch footballing authorities want to give Ajax the best possible chance of reaching the final in Madrid where they would play either Liverpool or Barcelona.
Ajax were initially scheduled to play relegation battlers De Graafschap on April 28, two days before the first leg, but they will now be able to use that time to rest and prepare for their trip to the Tottenham Hotspur stadium.
In order to maintain the integrity of the title race in Holland, which Ajax currently lead on goal difference, the Dutch FA took the decision to cancel all fixtures that weekend instead of just the one involving Ajax.
The Eredivisie season will consequently be extended, with the gameweek in question being rescheduled for Wednesday May 15.
Understandably, some Dutch clubs are not best pleased about this decision. But KNVB president Eric Gudde has defended it, saying: “We have looked at all kinds of ways to move games with Ajax progressing so far in the Champions League.
“We have presented our plans to all of the clubs.
“It is not ideal for everyone, I appreciate that, but this is not just helping Ajax.
“It is being done to help Dutch football as a whole because it means so much to be successful in Europe.”
Many will feel this gives them an unfair advantage in the tie, but there is nothing to stop the Premier League from helping English teams in European competition by rejigging the fixture schedule, as is commonplace across the continent.
