Cruijff dismisses Ajax playoff win as unworthy of celebration

Jordi Cruijff stated Ajax’s play-off victory for European football is not worth celebrating. The technical director made the remarks in the bowels of the Kras Stadion following Ajax’s penalty shoot-out win over FC Utrecht.

Cruijff’s comments came after Ajax secured a 4-2 shoot-out victory to advance to the UEFA Europa League. The first leg ended 2-2, with FC Utrecht taking a 2-1 lead in the return fixture.

Ajax manager John Heitinga described the shoot-out as ‘nerve-wracking’ but acknowledged the team’s resilience. Heitinga added that the win was crucial for maintaining momentum ahead of the Europa League campaign.

Cruijff emphasized that the play-off win should not be overstated, calling it a ‘necessary step’ rather than a cause for celebration. He reiterated his focus on long-term progress over short-term results.

The Dutch club now prepares for their Europa League group stage matches, with fixtures scheduled to begin next month.

Heitinga confirmed squad rotations would be considered to manage player workloads during the congested schedule.