OPINION
Tottenham’s Champions League clash against Ajax is enough to get anybody’s mouth watering.
The two underdogs of the last four face off over two legs in a tie that promises exciting, attacking football galore, and that could really go either way.
You would, on paper, probably expect Spurs to edge it, but this is an Ajax side that has knocked out Juventus and Real Madrid in the last two rounds.
It will be close, you imagine, and any small advantage could prove to have massive ramifications.
That’s why Spurs will surely be seething at the news that the Dutch FA has agreed to postpone a whole round of Eredivisie fixtures to help Ajax prepare as well as they can for their European run, as reported in the Evening Standard.
The Dutch league leaders were due to play De Graafschap on April 28th, just two days before their meeting with Spurs, but instead, the governing body has opened up that entire weekend to help give them the best chance they can at reaching the final.
By contrast, Spurs face West Ham on the 27th, just three days before.
Now, realistically, can the Premier League cancel a whole round of fixture to accommodate Spurs? Probably not, no. Can it, however, postpone their match to put them on a level playing field with their opponents? If it wanted to, yes.
But the thing is, Spurs game against the Hammers is the early kick off that Saturday to be televised live on Sky Sports. The prospect of upsetting the media schedule would be simply unimaginable to those in charge of the coffers.
Nobody is asking for special treatment, but Mauricio Pochettino will surely be fuming that the powers that be won’t give his side a little consideration.