Ajax midfielder Julian Brandt suffered a suspected hamstring injury during a narrow 1-0 Eredivisie victory over AZ in Amsterdam on October 31, 2026, though manager Míchel Sánchez later reported the issue appears minor.
The evening at the Johan Cruijff ArenA brought both relief and concern for the Amsterdam club. Ajax broke an 11-match winless streak against their Alkmaar rivals courtesy of an early header from Tolu Arokodare following a cross by Abdellah Ouazane. Yet the primary talking point as the match wore on centred on the health of their influential German playmaker.
Julian Brandt forced off before halftime
The incident occurred in the 38th minute of the match. Brandt chased down a ball near the center circle, pulled up abruptly without contact from an opponent, and immediately grabbed his upper leg. The 30-year-old midfielder went down to the turf and buried his face in his hands as medical staff rushed to his aid. Before his exit, the 48-time international of Germany combined with Tolu Arokodare, who tapped the ball directly to Abdellah Ouazane to set up a swift counter-attacking sequence.
He started having trouble early in the match. He felt he had to slow down as soon as he wanted to sprint, otherwise he could run the risk of getting an injury. That is why he asked to be substituted. He knows his own body best, but it doesn't look like it is a serious injury.
Brandt managed to leave the pitch under his own power, replaced by Oscar Gloukh. The summer arrival from Borussia Dortmund has been central to Ajax’s campaign, scoring eight goals across 17 official appearances, including six in the Eredivisie alongside his first two assists recorded a week earlier during a 2-1 victory over Sparta Rotterdam. Míchel Sánchez confirmed after the final whistle that the injury appears to be minor, sparing the squad from fearing an extended absence for the creator.
AZ dominance leaves Míchel unimpressed with Ajax display
Despite securing the three points, manager Míchel was frank about his team’s performance after the final whistle. He admitted that the visitors controlled the tempo for large stretches after the opening 20 minutes, while noting that players like Jorthy Mokio and Abdellah Ouazane were unable to go at full capacity due to respective recovery from illness and a hip problem.
The Ajax coach pointed out that many AZ players have spent years playing alongside one another, a cohesion that left his own side chasing shadows on their home turf. The team relied on deep, compact defending to preserve Arokodare’s early strike, a defensive effort the manager praised even as he noted a lack of intensity during defensive transitions. He also mentioned that Daley Blind and Steven Berghuis brought experience, though the duo lacked match rhythm. The record champions of the Netherlands currently hold second place in the Eredivisie standings, trailing league leaders Feyenoord by a single point.
Upcoming fixtures in Europe and the Eredivisie
Ajax heads into a busy week before the November international break with two demanding away fixtures. The squad travels to Denmark on Thursday to face FC Midtjylland in the third round of the Conference League phase, followed by an Eredivisie clash against FC Twente in Enschede on Sunday. Following the international window, the Amsterdammers will resume domestic competition on Sunday, November 22, with a home fixture against ADO Den Haag. Meanwhile, the club awaits updates on Viktor Tsygankov, who missed the encounter against AZ due to a troublesome injury, while the Spanish coach expects injured teammates Caio Henrique, Anton Gaaei, and Oliver Edvardsen to rejoin group training shortly, though Simon Adingra’s return remains further away.