Birthday wish high on Ajax agenda

AFC Ajax are putting on festivities before their UEFA Cup decider against Olympique de Marseille to mark the day the club was founded 109 years ago, but coach Marco van Basten is hoping his side will have more than just another birthday to celebrate as they look to overcome a 2-1 deficit and reach the quarter-finals.

Huge challenge
"A huge challenge awaits us," Van Basten said. "We are not favourites especially as Marseille have proven to be extremely dangerous away from home. They are an excellent side and can switch from defence to attack very quickly. We will have to find the best solution to stopping their counterattacks – it certainly won't be easy."

Defensive problems
The 44-year-old coach is without defenders Thomas Vermaelen and Gregory van der Wiel through suspension while Jan Vertonghen (hamstring) and Gabri (calf) are injured along with Rasmus Lindgren, who suffered concussion in the first leg. On the plus side, midfielder Siem de Jong returns from a broken collarbone.

Captain Suárez
With previous skippers Vermaelen and Lindgren sidelined, Van Basten has made forward Luis Suárez the team's captain for Wednesday's game. "He is a married man now, and that creates obligations, so he will be alright," Van Basten said of the 22-year-old Uruguayan, who had his wedding on Monday.

Goal required
With Ajax needing at least one goal to progress, Suárez – his side's top scorer in the UEFA Cup this season – will have another important role to play. "For our confidence and experience it is important to go through," Van Basten added, "but to reach the next stage, we have to score. Whether that happens in the beginning or at the end of the match is less important."

Upbeat Marseille
For their part, Marseille are in good spirits having travelled straight to Amsterdam from their 3-1 win at old rivals Paris Saint-Germain FC on Sunday. They reported a clean bill of health bar right-back Laurent Bonnart, who sustained a thigh injury in the first leg. The defeat of PSG sent OM second in Ligue 1, but as coach Erik Gerets returns to the Netherlands – a country where he forged a career as both a player and coach – for the third time this season, he was glad his team did not see the praise being bestowed upon them in their home city. "It's a good thing we did not to come back to Marseille between these two games as it keeps the squad focused and their feet on the ground," Gerets said.