Ajax coach Ten Hag reveals why he started Onana against Besiktas

Ajax manager Erik ten Hag has explained why he picked Andre Onana in goal ahead of Remko Pasveer, who’s been in fine form, for Wednesday’s Champions League game against Besiktas.

Ajax beat Besiktas 2-1, with Onana in goal for the Dutch club for the first time in ten months.

The 25-year-old Cameroonian was suspended for nine months after failing a doping test.

Addressing the media after the game, Ten Hag was asked for his motives for moving Pasveer to the bench.

”Remko [Pasveer] is doing a fantastic job, that’s clear. He is perhaps the best goalkeeper in the Netherlands at the moment. But I wanted to see [on Wednesday] if we not only have a team, but also a selection,” he was quoted by Ajax website.

“Onana is an important part of that, although he hasn’t played for a long time. He now has to gain rhythm within Ajax, within our way of playing.”

“We wanted to keep everything in our own hands and not be dependent on the last game in Lisbon. That’s what we did.

”That’s nice. 15 points in Europe is still standing. We are happy with that.”

Before the game in Istanbul, Ajax had already booked their place in the last 16. It is the first time in history that a Dutch club has won its first five matches in the group stages of the Champions League.