Ajax vs Feyenoord: Predicted Lineup & Preview – De Klassieker
Ajax will face Feyenoord at De Kuip on Sunday in a highly anticipated Klassieker, marking Óscar García’s first major test as the club’s interim manager. A victory for Ajax could significantly bolster their position in the race for a direct Champions League qualification spot.
García faced personnel challenges last week against Sparta Rotterdam, but the situation has improved heading into Sunday’s match, whereas options remain limited in certain areas. Youri Regeer will miss the Klassieker after sustaining an injury during the Sparta match.
Jorthy Mokio is expected to grab Regeer’s place in the starting lineup, having previously scored against Sparta. He is anticipated to join captain Davy Klaassen and Sean Steur in midfield. Kian Fitz-Jim was limited to a substitute appearance last week, suggesting he will again commence the match on the bench.
The defense is expected to remain unchanged from the previous match, with Maarten Paes in goal and Josip Sutalo and Youri Baas as the central defensive pairing. Takehiro Tomiyasu, who made a strong impression in his debut against Sparta, is likely to retain his starting position.
Wout Weghorst is available for selection after serving a suspension. Kasper Dolberg has also recovered from recent fitness concerns, giving García options in the forward line. While Konadu performed well against Sparta, Dolberg is favored to lead the attack at De Kuip.
Mika Godts and Steven Berghuis are expected to continue on the flanks. Both players were influential in Ajax’s attacking play against Sparta, with Godts using his pace to create opportunities and Berghuis demonstrating his creativity.
Ajax is anticipated to adopt a more compact approach against Feyenoord, focusing on capitalizing on counter-attacking opportunities. Whether this strategy will be sufficient to overcome Feyenoord remains to be seen.
The expected Ajax starting lineup is: Paes; Tomiyasu, Sutalo, Baas, Rosa; Mokio, Klaassen, Steur; Berghuis, Dolberg, Godts.