Necessity opens the door, but the midfield still has to walk through it.
Five days after a stinging home defeat to FC Twente, Ajax travel to bottom-of-the-table Heracles Almelo carrying the particular weight of a club that knows it should be better. Manager Óscar García has reshuffled a midfield thinned by injury and absence, asking a patched-together unit to restore not just three points, but a measure of self-respect. In the broader Eredivisie story, Ajax remain six points adrift of Feyenoord in the race for second — a reminder that in football, dignity and mathematics are rarely the same currency.
- A 2-1 home loss to FC Twente left Ajax bruised and García visibly frustrated with the performance at the heart of his team.
- The midfield has been gutted by injury — Klaassen, Regeer, Fitz-Jim, and Heerkens are all unavailable, forcing the manager's hand rather than his preference.
- Two changes are made: Sean Steur and Oscar Gloukh come in, joined by Jorthy Mokio, who signed a new contract this week and arrives with something to prove.
- Wout Weghorst leads the line against a club he once called home, carrying the attacking hopes of a side that needs goals and conviction in equal measure.
- Ajax sit six points behind Feyenoord with the title race reshuffling above them — Saturday's result in Almelo is the only variable they can actually control.
Ajax arrive in Almelo on Saturday evening looking for the kind of win that does more than collect points — they need to recover something that slipped away in last weekend's 2-1 home defeat to FC Twente. Wout Weghorst scored that day, but it wasn't enough, and manager Óscar García left the pitch unsatisfied with what he saw in midfield. Kick-off against bottom-of-the-table Heracles is at 9:00 pm, live on ESPN 2.
García has made two changes to his starting eleven, though necessity has driven the decisions as much as tactics. Davy Klaassen, Youri Regeer, Kian Fitz-Jim, and Joeri Heerkens — the latter sidelined by an ankle injury — are all unavailable, leaving the midfield assembled from available parts rather than ideal combinations. Sean Steur and Oscar Gloukh come into the side, joining Jorthy Mokio, who signed a new contract on Thursday and will be eager to justify that institutional faith with a performance.
Maarten Paes continues in goal despite recent scrutiny. The back four pairs Josip Sutalo and Youri Baas in the center, with Anton Gaaei and Lucas Rosa at full-back. Defender Takehiro Tomiyasu remains short of full fitness. Out wide, Steven Berghuis and Mika Godts provide the attacking width, while Weghorst — facing a former club — leads the line and will be hungry to score on the right side of the result this time.
The wider picture offers little comfort. Ajax trail Feyenoord by six points in the race for second place, and with Feyenoord facing third-placed NEC this weekend, the standings will shift regardless of what happens in Almelo. For now, García's side can only focus on winning without drama — and whether a makeshift midfield can provide the platform for that remains the evening's defining question.
Wout Weghorst scored against FC Twente last weekend, but it wasn't enough. Ajax lost 2-1 at home, a result that stung the Amsterdam club and left manager Óscar García visibly unsatisfied with what he saw in the middle of the park. Now, five days later, Ajax board a bus to Almelo looking for the kind of win that doesn't just collect three points — it restores a little dignity.
Their opponents on Saturday evening are Heracles Almelo, sitting at the foot of the Eredivisie table. Kick-off is at 9:00 pm local time, with the match broadcast live on ESPN 2. On paper, this is the fixture Ajax need right now: a struggling side, a forgiving venue, a chance to run up a convincing scoreline and quiet the noise.
García has made two changes to the starting eleven. Sean Steur comes back into the lineup, and Oscar Gloukh gets another opportunity — both adjustments driven largely by necessity rather than pure selection preference. The midfield has been hollowed out by injury and absence. Davy Klaassen, Youri Regeer, and Kian Fitz-Jim are all unavailable, and Joeri Heerkens faces a prolonged spell on the sidelines after an ankle injury. Defender Takehiro Tomiyasu is still working his way back to full fitness and won't feature.
In goal, Maarten Paes keeps his place despite a run of criticism that has followed him through recent weeks. The back four sees Anton Gaaei and Lucas Rosa at full-back, with Josip Sutalo and Youri Baas paired together in the center. It is a defensive unit that will need to be organized and sharp — even against a bottom-of-the-table side, complacency has a way of compounding problems.
Jorthy Mokio brings some good news into the week. The midfielder signed a new contract on Thursday, a moment of institutional confidence in a player who will now look to justify that faith with a performance in Almelo. Alongside Steur and Gloukh, he forms a midfield trio assembled more from available parts than ideal design — which is precisely what has García concerned.
Out wide, Steven Berghuis holds his position on the right flank, while Mika Godts carries the attacking threat from the left. Up front, Weghorst leads the line against a club he once called home. He scored last week and will be eager to do so again, this time on the right side of the result.
The broader picture for Ajax is complicated. They sit six points behind Feyenoord in the race for second place, and the gap is unlikely to close this weekend regardless of what happens in Almelo. Feyenoord face third-placed NEC, who trail the Rotterdam side by just a single point — meaning the top of the table will be reshuffled one way or another before Sunday is out. Ajax can only control their own result, and right now, that means going to Heracles and winning without drama.
Whether García's patched-together midfield can provide the platform for that remains the central question of the evening.
Citas Notables
García is particularly concerned about his side's midfield heading into the Heracles fixture.— Goal.com reporting on Óscar García's pre-match outlook
La Conversación del Hearth Otra perspectiva de la historia
Why does a loss to Twente feel so significant for a club like Ajax?
Because Ajax don't just play for points — they play for a certain image of themselves. Losing 2-1 at home to a rival cuts at that identity.
And García's concern about the midfield — is that a tactical worry or a personnel one?
Mostly personnel. When you're missing Klaassen, Regeer, and Fitz-Jim all at once, you're not choosing your best shape — you're filling gaps.
Does Gloukh getting another chance suggest García trusts him, or just that there's no one else?
Probably both. Necessity opens the door, but García wouldn't put him in if he didn't think he could contribute something real.
What's the significance of Jorthy Mokio signing a new contract right before this match?
It's a signal — from the club to the player, and from the player to himself. Now he has to go out and play like someone who deserved it.
Weghorst against his former club — does that kind of narrative actually affect how players perform?
Sometimes. Strikers especially tend to carry a point to prove into those matches. He scored last week; he'll want to do it again tonight.
Is second place still realistic for Ajax this season?
Six points behind Feyenoord with the season winding down — it's not impossible, but it requires Feyenoord to stumble and Ajax to be nearly perfect.
And Heracles at the bottom of the table — is there any danger in this fixture?
There's always danger when a team has nothing to lose. Heracles will fight. The risk for Ajax is treating it as a formality.