Ajax Starts Torrents in Conference League Test at Hajduk
Ajax began its Conference League campaign at Hajduk Split with Jofre Torrents making his first start and Abdellah Ouazane, 17, in attack.
Ajax’s first European assignment this season took them to a demanding away ground in Croatia. Coach Míchel Sánchez started Jofre Torrents for his debut as Ajax faced Hajduk Split in the Conference League on Thursday.
The match began at 6:45 p.m. local time and was broadcast on Ziggo Sport 1. It marked Ajax’s opening game in the competition’s league phase, after the Dutch club missed out on both the Champions League and Europa League.
Torrents and 17-year-old Ouazane start
Sánchez named Marc ter Stegen as his first-choice goalkeeper. The German was not being used as a reserve for a cup match. Ahead of him, Thilo Kehrer, Aaron Bouwman, Youri Baas and Torrents formed the defensive line, with Torrents taking the spot usually occupied by Owen Wijndal.
Ajax also made a change in midfield after Saturday’s 1-1 draw with NEC. Davy Klaassen came in for Jorthy Mokio, while Sofyan Amrabat and Julian Brandt kept their places.
Ouazane, 17, was selected ahead of Oscar Gloukh in attack. Viktor Tsygankov operated on the right to support striker Tolu Arokodare. The young forward had been waiting for an opportunity to start.
Hajduk threat despite Livaja absence
Hajduk entered the match at the top of Croatia’s 1. HNL standings and with a reputation for strength at home. Journalist Frane Marsic, who covers the club for Jutarnji, identified Marin Soticek, Michele Sego and Abdoulie Sanyang as players in particularly strong form.
Marko Livaja was also on Ajax’s watch list, but the 33-year-old center forward was unavailable after suffering a hamstring injury in late September. Marsic described Livaja as an icon of the city and Hajduk’s passionate supporters in recent years. His absence reduced the hosts’ attacking options, though Marsic said it did not erase the threat posed by the other three players.
Hajduk are coached by Gonzalo Manuel García García, a 43-year-old former midfielder and forward who has led the club since 2025. Ajax have a notable history against the Croatian side: they eliminated Hajduk in the 1995 quarterfinals before going on to win the Champions League.
The teams met this time with different lineups. Hajduk’s announced starters were Silic; Acapandie, Hatdzikadunic, Maresic and Hrgovic; Fayad, Dalisson and Del Moral; Sanyang, Sego and Soticek. Ajax began with Ter Stegen in goal and Torrents making his first start.
Source: Goal.com
