Youri Baas Flourishes at Ajax Under Francesco Farioli’s Guidance

omidbasir- Youri Baas is experiencing notable development at Ajax. The defender has been utilized as a central back by coach Francesco Farioli, instead of his usual left-back position, a decision that sports analyst Valentijn Driessen has hailed as a brilliant move. Baas made a significant impact in the match against FC Volendam, scoring two goals.

Driessen commended Farioli on the show Vandaag Inside, stating, “He is performing quite well. He is an exciting player.” He emphasized that the credit for Baas’s improvement should go to Farioli, noting, “I must give credit to that Italian, as he has placed him centrally in defense. Baas is certainly doing well and is not afraid to position players in their correct roles.”

However, the discussion turned to Ajax’s decline in performance following Farioli’s departure. Genee suggested that the team’s struggles can be attributed to the new leadership under John Heitinga. Driessen concurred, stating, “It depends on who you place in charge. Choosing John Heitinga makes things considerably more challenging, especially if you also instruct him to adopt an attacking approach. That was a very poor choice.”

On a separate note, Farioli himself secured a victory with Porto against Gil Vicente, winning 3-0 on Monday night, which solidified Porto’s lead in the Portuguese league. After nineteen matches, Porto holds a seven-point advantage over their closest competitor, Sporting Portugal. Remarkably, Farioli has led the team to eighteen wins and just one draw in those matches. An exciting showdown against Sporting is scheduled for February 9.