Tottenham vs Ajax: Jan Vertonghen eager to take on old club in ‘unbelievable’ Champions League battle

The Belgian centre-back has been playing for Spurs since 2012 but he began his career at Ajax

Tottenham Hotspur have 11 days until the biggest game in their modern history, but for Jan Vertonghen it will mean even more than that. And he cannot wait for the “unbelievable battle”.

The Belgian centre-back has been playing for Spurs since 2012 but he began his career at Ajax. He joined the famous youth academy there at 13 and left for Tottenham at the age of 25. He still has plenty of friends there. And so on 30 April and 8 May, he will play for his second club against his first one, for a place in the Champions League final.

It adds an extra layer of personal meaning for a man who has been integral to Spurs’ run to this final, especially in clean sheet defensive displays against Borussia Dortmund and Manchester City on their way to the semis.

Speaking in the aftermath of Spurs’ 4-4 away goal win over City on Wednesday night, Vertonghen said that the emotional impact of a Tottenham v Ajax semi-final had still not quite sunk in for him. “I'm not there yet with my head,” Vertonghen said.

“I will sit down in the coach and read my texts and probably the applications for tickets, and I will realise how big this game is."

But Vertonghen said that he was not surprised by how good Ajax were. Because he still has plenty of friends there, among the players and staff, and he knows exactly how good they are. They have proven that they are at home at this level.

“Ajax obviously it's crazy that they're there,” he said. “An even bigger surprise that Ajax is there than us, probably. I follow them every game, I speak to the people at the club, I know how good they are, I've watched every game.

“At the beginning in the Champions League they surprised everyone but now it is not a surprise any more. They are of this level, they are Champions League semi-final quality. That's how it is. I know how good they are, because obviously knocking Madrid and Juventus out is crazy. It will be an unbelievable battle between two positive sides.”