Ajax game postponed to boost preparations for Champions League semi-final

The postponed match between De Graafschap and Ajax will now be played on May 15.

Amsterdam: Ronald Koeman, Dutch football chief, on Friday announced that all Eredivisie fixtures the weekend before Ajax’s Champions League clash with Premier League side Tottenham Hotspur have been postponed.

Just two days before the first-led of Champions League semi-finals against Tottenham, Ajax was slated to play De Graafschap on Sunday. Speaking about their decision to postpone Ajax game against Graafscha, KNVB spokesperson Jaap Paulsen said, “I can confirm this as a plan and hopefully it will be (made) definite (on Friday) because we await the approval of the local authorities.”

The decision behind rescheduling Ajax league matches were to give the team two days’ full rest between the games.

“Ajax have to play two games in three days and this is impossible because the league’s regulations say a club must have two full days off in between games.”

Ajax team

The postponed match between De Graafschap and Ajax will now be played on May 15.“We needed to change the schedule and this was very hard to do. We ran out of options,” said Paulsen, before adding, “No, this is done to meet the agreed condition of at least two full days of rest between two games.”“That is the starting point for our competition planning. That applies to all clubs and that applies to all competitions in which they play; premier league, cup tournament and European football."