FOOTBALL NEWS - Sympathy was in short supply from Ajax Amsterdam manager Erik ten Hag for injury-hit Tottenham Hotspur ahead of their Champions League semifinal first leg clash today.
Hosts Tottenham are without a string of key players, including strikers Harry Kane and Son Heung-min, for the game in north London and were also involved in a derby against West Ham United on Saturday while Ajax rested.
Tottenham manager Mauricio Pochettino has said Ajax have an unfair advantage because the whole of the Dutch league programme was postponed to help Ten Hag's side prepare.
The straight-talking Dutchman was unimpressed, however, playing down suggestions his side were favourites.
"We get 10 million (euros) for playing in (Dutch first division) Eredivisire and they get many more millions for being in the Premier League. Is that not unfair on us?" the 49-year-old coach told reporters.
"There are always differing circumstances. Everybody has different circumstances. You just have to deal with them. That's what we do."
Midfielder Donny van der Beek, one of a crop of homegrown youngsters who have propelled four-times winners Ajax to their first Champions League semifinal since 1997, also made the point that their journey began last summer.
Ajax were actually playing in a second qualifying round tie against Austrians Sturm Graz in July, then beat Standard Liege to reach the playoffs where they overcame Dynamo Kiev.
That put them in a group containing Bayern Munich, but they emerged undefeated before beating Real Madrid in the last 16 and Juventus in the quarterfinals.
