For the second time this season, an Ajax Amsterdam league match has been canceled. The reason is another police strike. The fans are slowly running out of patience
It all began with the cancellation of the Klassieker at the end of August, and the clash with FC Utrecht has now suffered the same fate. Ajax Amsterdam have been forced to take an involuntary break from the league for the second time this season, with the home game against Utrecht, originally scheduled for next Sunday, having to be called off.
The reason is the ongoing police strike, with the unions demanding better early retirement regulations. The 36-time champions were “disappointed” by the decision of the authorities, who had cited safety concerns as the reason for the cancellation. Together with FC Utrecht, they had done “everything possible” to allow the match to take place, the club said.
Instead, coach Francesco Farioli’s team has now been waiting for a league match to be played since August 18. Ajax have one win and one defeat from two games so far, although the fifth matchday is actually coming up this weekend. The next Ajax game, against Fortuna Sittard, is scheduled for next Wednesday, September 18 – exactly one month after the last league appearance
Farioli complains, fans protest
“Regardless of the result, as soon as the game is played, we have to start thinking about the next game. That will be our new rhythm and that demands a lot from us,” complained Farioli during the week. During the Eredivisie-free period, Ajax had at least secured their place in the Europa League qualifiers against Bialystok. However, due to the catch-up games and international appearances, there are only English weeks until the beginning of December, apart from international breaks. The classic against Feyenoord will be made up for on October 30.
Not only Farioli, but also the fans are not happy about the cancellation. “We, the Ajax fans, are fed up with our matches constantly being the target of such police actions,” wrote an Ajax fans’ association in a statement, calling for a protest on Sunday afternoon. The Dutch Football Association also voiced criticism, saying that the police were using soccer “as a tool” to enforce their demands.
