Willem van Hanegem has stated that he is 'wezenloos geschrokken' by PSV's defence. He believes that the top clubs' performances in the first round were 'the summary'. Van Hanegem's comments on Ajax were mixed, sometimes thinking 'yes, they're back' and other times 'what are they doing'. Feyenoord initially looked good against Sparta, but the last half hour reminded him of the previous season.
Van Hanegem praised Gjivai Zechiël, who guided Feyenoord past Sparta. Zechiël is described as ball-skilled, creative, and able to switch play and get into scoring positions. He can make the difference, but must realise that this is the norm. Ajax benefits greatly from Julian Brandt's fitness, who can play football and is still fit. Brandt is an extra quality that Ajax doesn't find at PSV and Feyenoord.