Ajax manager Míchel Sánchez has made several changes to his starting line-up for the match against Telstar. The VriendenLoterij Eredivisie fixture kicks off at 16:45 on Sunday at Telstar's home ground, as reported by Goal.com.
The Spanish coach promotes Anton Gaaei to starting right-back in place of Lucas Rosa. In midfield, Jorthy Mokio takes the spot of Youri Regeer, who is reportedly well on his way to Werder Bremen. Youri Baas is also absent from the squad. In attack, Steven Berghuis and Oscar Gloukh remain on the wings, with Tolu Arokodare leading the line. Arokodare scored twice in the midweek match against FC Sion. Goalkeeper Marc-André ter Stegen starts, with Aaron Bouwman and Dies Janse as centre-backs and Caio Henrique at left-back. Julian Brandt and Davy Klaassen complete the midfield. Marcos Leonardo begins on the bench.
Who is in Telstar's starting eleven?
Telstar will take to the pitch with an experienced side. Goalkeeper Koeman is between the posts. The defence consists of Valk, Peersman and Soualhia. The midfield is made up of Alders, Rossen, Owusu and Hardeveld. The attacking trio of Mendes, Brouwer and Seedorf will be tasked with finding the net. The home side currently sits 13th in the Eredivisie, with three points from two games. They have scored three goals and conceded four, resulting in a goal difference of minus one.
What is the league context?
For Ajax, this is an opportunity to slightly reduce the nine-point gap to leaders AZ Alkmaar. Telstar, on the other hand, will want points after a mixed start (recent form LW) to move away from the lower reaches of the table. Both teams have only played two league matches, so the standings are still very early in the season. Fans can always check the current league table on our standings page.
What does this mean for the coming weeks?
Following this match, Telstar faces an important home game against Cambuur, scheduled for 6 September 2026. Cambuur currently sits 18th and last, so that is seen as an opportunity for three points. Preparations for that match will begin immediately after the final whistle on Sunday. The full schedule for the coming period can be found in the fixtures overview. Manager Sánchez's selection shows he is willing to rotate, possibly with an eye on the busy schedule ahead for all Eredivisie clubs.
The changes at Ajax demonstrate the coach utilising his options after a midweek match. Whether the new line-up is enough to defeat Telstar, who are always tough at home, will be revealed on Sunday. For Telstar, the key will be having their defensive organisation in good order against Amsterdam's attacking power. Detailed statistics for both teams can be followed via our stats page.
