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Zakaria Labyad can look back on a successful performance against his former club FC Utrecht. The Moroccan forward hadn’t made an appearance for Ajax since the fifth of May, and now his patience has finally been rewarded.



“It felt good”, said Labyad after the match. “Of course it’s difficult when you’re not playing, but today the manager gave me a chance to start. Initially, it was a bit of a shock to be back on this stage with the stadium ambiance, but I flipped the switch as soon as the game started”, Labyad told Fox Sports.



During the many months that Zakaria Labyad did not play for Ajax, he has always been able to rely on his colleagues, he says. “My teammates have always supported me. They assured me that I just had to wait for my opportunity and today that opportunity came.” It still came as a bit of a surprise to Labyad, however. “I didn’t really see it coming, but on the other hand, it made sense to me. I’ve taken great steps forward these past few months, both on the pitch and on a personal level. I never stopped trying my hardest in training and never stopped believing in myself. Today that paid off.”



Labyad has no problem with patiently waiting for play-time, despite barely ever playing for Ajax. “I feel mentally able to muster the patience needed, and I won’t make a big deal about it. I managed that last season, so why not this season as well?” Zakaria is hoping to fill the gap David Neres’ left on the wing for as long as he is still injured. “I’m hoping for it, but I’m also determined to show every day that it should be me who gets that spot. So that is what I’m going to do.”

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