Ajax manager Peter Bosz says 'glow' has been taken from Europa League final after Manchester attack

As he sat down in the Friends Arena, Ajax manager Peter Bosz first explained that he wanted to issue a statement and would have to say it in Dutch, apologetically insisting that even then he would struggle to find the right words - before doing an admirable job in a very difficult situation.

The 53-year-old said that the “glow” had been taken off what should be the special occasion of the Europa League final against Manchester United, and that a “shadow” now hangs over the fixture following the terrorist atrocity at the Manchester Arena on Monday night.

“I’d like to say something about what happened in Manchester,” Bosz began. “I’d like to say it in Dutch to find the right words. What happened in Manchester is something that we all feel at Ajax. On behalf of the players and the staff, we at Ajax would like to express sympathy with the victims who unfortunately fell yesterday.

"The feeling that prevails is that the final doesn’t have the glow it should have. Tomorrow evening should be a football feast, but because of events in Manchester, we’re all affected, particularly as we’re playing against Manchester. It’s horrible. My heartfelt sympathies.”

It’s hard not to have a certain amount of sympathy for Ajax, too. On what is set to be a hugely emotional and tough night for Manchester United, they are in a hugely awkward situation. The showpiece fixture that the club has been waiting 22 years for, and one that should be a glorious formative experience for so many of their young players, has understandably been greatly lessened by much more significant events elsewhere.

They are now going to be facing a wave of deep emotion as they take on Manchester United. It brings to mind former Everton goalkeeper Neville Southall’s words to journalist Tony Evens when he talked about facing Liverpool in the immediate aftermath of the Hillsborough disaster in 1989.

“We knew we couldn't win even if we won,” Southall said, and that in a situation when Everton lost so many family members too.

Ajax are so much more detached, and there was an even greater sense of detachment when questions inevitably came about the football, so soon after Bosz had been discussing the atrocity.

It felt discordant, even though Ajax had been dreaming of being in this place, on this stage, for so long.

Bozs emphasised that the only thing they can do is to try and play the way they always play, do what they always do, in a situation they have never experienced.

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“We talked about this of course. Her name is Ariana Grande. I think about 10 days ago, two weeks ago, she was in Amsterdam and the wives of the players went to her concert with their children. If it can happen in Manchester, it can happen anywhere. It has an effect, but I try to make it affect us as little as possible.

"It should be one big celebration, but when something like this happens two days before, the fact we’ve been discussing it just goes to show the impact. Tomorrow is a match that Manchester wants to win, that we want to win and that we are going to try to win. But there is a shadow hanging over this final.”