Cillessen: "It's a very special game"

Jasper Cillessen was the obvious choice to speak in the pre-match press conference ahead of Valencia CF's game against Ajax, having played five seasons for the Dutch club. Keen to feature against the team he left in 2016, the goalkeeper gave his thoughts on the contest.

How to beat Ajax
"Like we did in Bilbao. It isn't easy, but anything is possible in the Champions League. They are a side with many qualities, both in defence and in attack. It will be a tough game, but that's fantastic for me, and it's a very special game to be playing against them."

Contact with former teammates
"Before and after the game we will enjoy ourselves together, but during the 90 minutes that we are on the pitch, we will only be thinking about winning."

Valencia CF's first Champions League campaign in 1999
"I don't remember that team much, because I was only ten years old, but in the Ciudad Deportiva there are lots of photos from the team of 20 years ago. There were great players, spectacular players. Valencia CF are a big club with a great history, and that's why I came here."

Defining Ajax
"The easiest way of explaining Ajax, is that they play like Barça. Ajax always use the same philosophy for their play. The players change, but the philosophy is the same. It doesn't vary, so every Ajax player know what it is."