Ajax defender Matthijs de Ligt has insisted that his side were not tactically outwitted by Manchester United on Wednesday night in the Europa League final.
Jose Mourinho’s men scored a comfortable 2-0 win over the Dutch giants at the Friends Arena to lift the Europa League and earn a ticket to next season’s Champions League.
Ajax coach Peter Bosz has already conceded that his side’s pressing game was taken out of the picture by Manchester United’s long ball tactics and his men found it difficult to cope with the physicality of Mourinho’s team.
However, De Ligt, just 17, stressed that his side were not tactically outmaneuvered by Manchester United. He admits that Ajax struggled for rhythm and the Red Devils’ different kind of football was a little difficult to cope for the young Dutch team.
De Ligt told RTL7: “It doesn’t mean we were tactically outwitted. We were just not on our game.
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“Because they dropped back so far it was difficult.
“In the Eredivisie it can succeed, but against United it was more difficult.”
Ajax finished second in the Eredivisie and have made it to the qualifying round of the Champions League despite losing the Europa League final.
