AFC Ajax plays an Eredivisie match against Willem II on Tuesday evening, while the rest of the league is idle. The fixture, originally scheduled for matchday 3, was postponed because Ajax was involved in the UEFA Conference League qualifiers.
The KNVB granted Ajax, along with NEC and FC Twente, extra rest following their European and KNVB Cup commitments. NEC and Twente played their rescheduled matches last week, but Ajax received an additional week's delay. The association consulted with all involved parties to determine a suitable date. Ajax found it unfavourable to play midweek, with a top-of-the-table clash against PSV Eindhoven coming up this weekend. The one-week postponement proved no issue for Ajax, as their Conference League group stage does not start until Thursday, 15 October.
Manager Maurice Steijn's side heads into Tuesday's match in strong form. Ajax sits fifth in the Eredivisie with ten points from five games and won their last match 1-5 at Fortuna Sittard. Their last five results read WLWWW. Opponents Willem II currently occupy 17th place. The full standings are available here.
For Ajax, this means a busy week, with a midweek league match followed by the key home game against leaders PSV. The Ajax squad is largely fit, with only Aaron Bouwman sidelined long-term. The lineup for the match against Willem II can be found on our squad page. Kick-off is at 20:00 at the Johan Cruijff ArenA.
