Ajax travels to De Kuip on Sunday to face Feyenoord in a crucial Eredivisie clash known as De Klassieker.
Interim manager Óscar García faces his first major test as the Amsterdam club aims to strengthen their position in the race for a direct Champions League qualification spot. The stakes are high as Ajax currently trails Feyenoord by five points with seven league games remaining in the 2025-26 season.
Mokio Set to Start in Midfield
García was forced to contend with several absences against Sparta Rotterdam last week, but the squad has a few more options available heading into Sunday’s match. But, Youri Regeer is confirmed to be unavailable after picking up an injury in that previous contest.
With Regeer sidelined, Jorthy Mokio is expected to slot into the starting lineup in midfield. Mokio has a history against Feyenoord, having scored against them earlier this season. He will likely partner with captain Davy Klaassen and Sean Steur in the middle of the pitch, while Kian Fitz-Jim is anticipated to begin the game on the bench.
Defense Remains Unchanged
García appears set to maintain the same defensive lineup that started against Sparta Rotterdam. Maarten Paes will start in goal, with Josip Sutalo and Youri Baas forming the central defensive partnership. Takehiro Tomiyasu impressed in his debut against Sparta and is expected to feature again. Itakura continues to recover from a back issue and is not expected back until after the international break.
Forward Line Options
In attack, García welcomes back Wout Weghorst from suspension and Kasper Dolberg has recovered from fitness concerns, giving the manager options up front. While Konadu had a solid performance last week, Dolberg is favored to lead the line at De Kuip.
Mika Godts and Steven Berghuis are expected to continue on the flanks, having both been dangerous attacking threats in the previous match. Godts consistently accelerated play with his runs, while Berghuis used his creativity to challenge the Sparta defense.
Ajax is expected to play a more compact game, looking to capitalize on counter-attacking opportunities. Whether that strategy will be enough to upset Feyenoord remains to be seen.
Probable Ajax lineup: Paes. Tomiyasu, Sutalo, Baas, Rosa; Mokio, Klaassen, Steur; Berghuis, Dolberg, Godts.
