World Cup

Míchel Sees New Hope in Ajax Defence: Baas and Blind

3 August 2026·4 min read·María José Fernández
Míchel Sees New Hope in Ajax Defence: Baas and Blind

Ajax's new coach Míchel tested the combination of Youri Baas and Daley Blind in the middle of the defense against Burnley. He sees the combination's potential for their team's future.

Míchel Sees New Hope in Ajax Defence: Baas and Blind

According to Vi.

Context

Youri Baas, who currently plays for Ajax, has the potential to become a key part of the club's defense under Míchel's new system. His combination with Daley Blind, an experienced player, can provide important support in the development of Ajax's game in the next matches.

Why it matters

The inclusion of Youri Baas and Daley Blind in Ajax's defense is a significant step for new coach Míchel. Despite the unusual combination of two left-handers, their intelligence and ability to build offense from the back can give a new dimension to Ajax's game, especially in friendly football matches.

Key Points

  • Míchel Sees New Hope in Ajax Defence: Baas and Blind.
  • In an important move in Ajax's pre-season, new coach Míchel used the match against Burnley to test the pair of Youri Baas and Daley Blind at the center of defence.
  • Míchel ziet toekomst in Ajax-defensie met Baas én Blind.
Ajax coach Míchel used their pre-season match against Burnley to experiment with a new defensive combination—the pairing of Youri Baas and Daley Blind as central defenders. It was the first time that Míchel combined two left-footed players in the center of defense, which is not usually done in football as teams prefer to play between the right and left feet in central defense. In this match, almost all of Ajax's starting players were replaced from their previous game against FK Vojvodina, except for Aaron Bouwman. This decision was also caused by those who are not yet ready to return to action such as Josip Sutalo and Ko Itakura. Both are coming from World Cup participation and have little physical preparation, so have not been included in Míchel's original selection. As the second half of the match began, Daley Blind replaced Bouwman to partner Baas. Under Míchel's system, Ajax use three defenders where the left-back often moves up and the right acts as the libero—a technique he used at former club Girona with Ladislav Krejci also partnering with Blind in this setup.
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For Míchel, the association between Baas and Blind is not only temporary. He believes the two are both intelligent and capable of building offense out of the back, so he sees this combination being repeatable in the future. He said, it doesn't matter if the central players are left or right, as long as quality and understanding of the game are the main pillars. Míchel emphasized that, "Good players, they can play together. Daley and Youri are smart and both have high quality. So yes, they can really combine in the center of defense." Such a view suggests a more open and creative approach to Ajax's defense for the coming season. Ajax continue to prepare for next season, and their fans will likely be watching to see if the Baas-Blind partnership becomes a regular part of their modern system.

What's next

It is expected that Míchel will continue to test the combination of Baas and Blind in the next friendly matches while looking for the right balance in defense. Their performance in the matches could set the tone for their league campaign, especially if other players like Josip Sutalo and Ko Itakura can return from their injuries.

Frequently Asked Questions

Who is Youri Baas?

Youri Baas is an Ajax player who was used as a central defender in their match against Burnley.

What is coach Míchel's experiment with Ajax's defense?

Coach Míchel experimented with the combination of Youri Baas and Daley Blind as central defenders.

Why didn't Josip Sutalo and Ko Itakura play?

Josip Sutalo and Ko Itakura did not play due to physical issues after their participation in the World Cup.

What is the system of defense used by Ajax under Míchel?

Under Míchel, Ajax uses three defenders where the left-back often moves up and the right acts as libero.

Why is the relationship between Baas and Blind important according to Míchel?

Believe Míchel that the combination of Baas and Blind has potential because of their intelligence and ability to build offense from the back.

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Mga Madalas na Itanong

Who is Youri Baas?
Youri Baas is an Ajax player who was used as a central defender in their match against Burnley.
What is coach Míchel's experiment with Ajax's defense?
Coach Míchel experimented with the combination of Youri Baas and Daley Blind as central defenders.
Why didn't Josip Sutalo and Ko Itakura play?
Josip Sutalo and Ko Itakura did not play due to physical issues after their participation in the World Cup.
What is the system of defense used by Ajax under Míchel?
Under Míchel, Ajax uses three defenders with the left-back often stepping up and the right acting as libero.
Why is the union of Baas and Blind important according to Míchel?
Míchel believes the combination of Baas and Blind has potential due to their intelligence and ability to build offense from the back.
World Cup 2026Amistosos internacionalesAjaxBurnleyYouri BaasDaley BlindAaron BouwmanJosip SutaloKo Itakura
https://azkalsgoal.com/en/news/michel-nakikita-ang-bagong-pag-asa-sa-depensa-ng-ajax-baas-at-blind-pinagsama-bi

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