ERIK TEN HAG has no fears for the state of the Johan Cruyff Arena pitch – despite 40,000 music revellers dancing on it just days ago.
The stadium hosted the Amsterdam Music Festival on Saturday, with DJs such as David Guetta performing into the early hours.
Boards were put down over the turf and Ajax chief Ten Hag is happy the grass is in decent nick ahead of Chelsea’s visit in the Champions League on Wednesday night.
The Dutchman said: “The pitch looks very good and in my opinion, it’s fine to play.”
Ten Hag has had to rebuild his side who were cruelly beaten in the Champions League semi-finals to Tottenham last year following the big-money exits of Frenkie De Jong and Matthijs De Ligt.
And he sees comparisons to Frank Lampard’s Chelsea in the way both sides want to play.
The former Bayern Munich reserves boss said: “Last year was last year. We are building a new team and developing a new team. Now we have to step up and become better.
“Sometimes you fall down but you also have to step up again and be better, develop. That’s only possible when you play out of your philosophy. Attitude to be better every day.
“We kind of have the philosophy of Chelsea, when I see them and their football philosophy.
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“They want to play football, want to play in the opponents’ half and they want to press high and stay in the opponents’ half which is pretty similar to Ajax.”
Unbeaten Ajax are three points clear at the top of the Eredivisie and have won both their previous group games 3-0 against Lille and Valencia.
Yet Ten Hag added: “We are confident but I don’t think we are favourite when we play against a team like this.”
