Ajax Training Complex, De Toekomst
Mid-August 2017
The Champions League playoff draw brought Ajax a daunting opponent: Rosenborg BK from Norway. While not a giant of European football, Rosenborg was experienced in Champions League qualifiers and had a strong home record at the Lerkendal Stadion.
But Ajax's confidence was soaring after the Nice victory. The squad believed they could beat anyone.
Training that week was intense, focused, purposeful. Andrei felt the difference in how teammates and coaches treated him now. He'd proven himself in a crucial match. He wasn't just a promising prospect anymore—he was a contributor.
Current Status:
Overall Rating: 75.6/99
Role: Regular rotation player
Respect Level: Established
Peter Bosz pulled him aside after a training session.
"You're starting Saturday against AZ Alkmaar in the league, and probably in Trondheim against Rosenborg next week."
Andrei's heart leaped. Regular starts. Not just rotation minutes—genuine first-team opportunities.
"Thank you, coach. I won't disappoint."
"I know you won't. But Andrei—consistency is the challenge now. One great pass doesn't make a career. Can you do it week after week? That's what separates good players from great ones."
The words echoed what Elena had said. Consistency. Reliability. Proving it wasn't a fluke.
Eredivisie - Matchday 2
Ajax vs AZ Alkmaar
Amsterdam Arena
August 12, 2017
The Eredivisie season had started the previous weekend—Ajax beating Heracles 5-1 with Andrei coming off the bench for twenty minutes. Now, he'd start his first league match.
AZ Alkmaar was a strong opponent—they'd finished fourth last season and possessed quality players like Vincent Janssen and Alireza Jahanbakhsh.
Ajax Starting XI (4-3-3):
GK: André Onana
DEF: Joël Veltman, Davinson Sánchez, Matthijs de Ligt, Jaïro Riedewald
MID: Frenkie de Jong, Lasse Schöne, Donny van de Beek
FWD: Hakim Ziyech, Kasper Dolberg, Andrei Luca
AZ Alkmaar Starting XI (4-3-3):
GK: Marco Bizot
DEF: Jonas Svensson, Ron Vlaar, Pantelis Hatzidiakos, Ridgeciano Haps
MID: Mats Seuntjens, Ben Rienstra, Teun Koopmeiners
FWD: Alireza Jahanbakhsh, Wout Weghorst, Fred Friday
From kickoff, Ajax dominated. The technical gap between Ajax's young stars and AZ was evident. The ball moved quickly, Ajax's positional play creating constant overloads.
Andrei started on the left wing, cutting inside frequently. In the 12th minute, his movement created Ajax's opening goal.
He received the ball on the left touchline and drove inside, dragging two defenders with him. That created space for Riedewald to overlap. Andrei played the ball into the fullback's path.
Riedewald crossed low. Dolberg finished clinically. 1-0 Ajax.
Pre-assist recorded
Movement: Created space through intelligent positioning
The match continued Ajax's dominance. In the 28th minute, Andrei scored his first Eredivisie goal.
Van de Beek picked up the ball centrally and played a quick one-two with Dolberg. His return pass found Andrei drifting into the penalty area, timing his run perfectly.
One touch to control, one strike with his right foot. The ball flew into the bottom corner.
GOAL. 2-0 Ajax.
His first goal in the Dutch league.
First Eredivisie Goal
Timing: Excellent run
Finishing: Clinical
Overall Rating (match in progress): 8.1/10
The Amsterdam Arena roared. Andrei ran to the corner flag, sliding on his knees, finally allowing himself to celebrate properly. His teammates mobbed him—genuine happiness for his success.
Ajax added two more goals in the second half (Ziyech and substitute David Neres). Final score: Ajax 4-0 AZ Alkmaar.
Match Complete:
Rating: 8.3/10
1 Goal, 1 Pre-assist
Distance Covered: 11.2 km
Pass Completion: 89%
In the post-match interviews, Dutch journalists praised his performance.
"You're adapting quickly to the Eredivisie. How are you finding Dutch football?"
"Very tactical, very technical. The quality is high. But Ajax's system helps—the movement, the support, the intelligence of my teammates makes everything easier."
"You've scored or assisted in both of your starts. Can you maintain this form?"
"I'll work hard to do so. But football is a team sport. My success comes from the team's quality."
Perfect answers—humble, team-focused, mature.
That evening, Elena took him to dinner at a nice Indonesian restaurant in De Pijp—rijsttafel, the traditional Dutch-Indonesian feast of many small dishes.
"You're playing like someone who belongs at this level," she observed between bites of satay.
"Some days I still feel like I'm pretending. Like any moment, someone will realize I'm just the kid from Iași who got lucky."
"Imposter syndrome. Most successful people feel it. But Andrei—you're not pretending. You genuinely belong here. The stats prove it, the performances prove it."
"I just don't want to peak at eighteen. I want to keep growing."
"Then you will. Because you're smart enough to know you still have work to do." Elena squeezed his hand. "That self-awareness is your greatest strength. You know exactly what you need to improve."
Mental Attributes Analysis:
Composure: 63.4/99 (improving but still below elite)
Vision: 68.6/99 (approaching elite level)
Positioning: 70.2/99 (elite for age)
The system was right—his vision and positioning were becoming genuine strengths. His composure still needed work, though it was improving with each high-pressure performance.
Champions League Playoff Round - First Leg
Rosenborg BK vs Ajax
Lerkendal Stadion, Trondheim, Norway
August 16, 2017
The trip to Trondheim involved a direct flight to the Norwegian city, followed by a short drive to the hotel. Trondheim was beautiful—mountains, fjords, a historic city center—but the players weren't here for tourism.
This was it. Win this two-legged tie, and Ajax would reach the Champions League group stage. Guaranteed exposure to Europe's elite clubs, guaranteed prestige, guaranteed development opportunities.
The Lerkendal Stadion was smaller than the Amsterdam Arena—about 21,000 capacity—but the atmosphere was intense. Norwegian fans created a wall of noise, supporting their champions with fierce local pride.
Rosenborg Starting XI (4-3-3):
GK: André Hansen
DEF: Vegar Hedenstad, Tore Reginiussen, Jorgen Skjelvik, Birger Meling
MID: Anders Konradsen, Mike Jensen, Fredrik Midtsjø
FWD: Pål André Helland, Nicklas Bendtner, Alexander Søderlund
Nicklas Bendtner—the former Arsenal striker—was Rosenborg's key player. Physical, experienced, dangerous in the air. Ajax's young defense would need to handle him carefully.
Ajax Starting XI (4-3-3):
GK: André Onana
DEF: Joël Veltman, Davinson Sánchez, Matthijs de Ligt, Jaïro Riedewald
MID: Frenkie de Jong, Lasse Schöne, Donny van de Beek
FWD: Hakim Ziyech, Kasper Dolberg, Andrei Luca
Bosz kept faith in the team that had beaten AZ Alkmaar. Andrei would start his second consecutive Champions League qualifier.
The match started frantically. Rosenborg pressed high, physical and aggressive. They knew Ajax wanted to pass out from the back and tried to disrupt that rhythm.
In the 8th minute, disaster. A long ball over the top caught Ajax's high defensive line. Bendtner used his physicality to hold off De Ligt and finish past Onana.
1-0 Rosenborg.
The stadium erupted. Ajax was behind.
"Stay calm!" Schöne shouted, organizing the team. "We have time!"
Ajax responded well, taking control of possession. Rosenborg dropped deeper, content to defend their lead and hit on counters.
In the 23rd minute, Andrei created Ajax's equalizer.
He received the ball on the left wing, one-on-one with Rosenborg's right-back Hedenstad. Instead of trying to beat him with pace, Andrei faked to go outside, then cut sharply inside.
The defender bought it completely. Andrei was into the penalty area, two center-backs closing. He could shoot, but the angle was tight. Dolberg was making a run to the back post.
Andrei played a low cross with his right foot, drilled hard across the six-yard box.
Dolberg arrived perfectly, side-footing home from four yards.
GOAL. 1-1.
Assist recorded - Champions League
Decision Making: Excellent (chose pass over difficult shot)
Technical Execution: Perfect cross
Ajax pushed for a second before halftime but couldn't break through. The first half ended 1-1—a decent result away from home.
The second half was more controlled. Ajax dominated possession, Rosenborg defended deep. The Norwegian champions were tiring—Ajax's technical quality was slowly breaking them down.
In the 67th minute, the breakthrough came.
Ziyech picked up the ball on the right wing and cut inside onto his left foot. His shot from twenty yards was perfectly placed—top corner, unstoppable.
2-1 Ajax.
Crucial away goal secured.
Rosenborg pushed desperately for an equalizer, throwing players forward. That created space for Ajax's counters.
In the 84th minute, Andrei nearly scored. A quick break saw him race clear down the left, only the goalkeeper to beat. He tried to round Hansen, but the Norwegian keeper made a brilliant save.
"Unlucky!" Dolberg called out.
Chance created but denied
Pace: Used effectively (+0.1)
Final whistle: Rosenborg 1-2 Ajax.
Perfect away victory. Ajax was in the driver's seat for the second leg.
Match Rating: 7.8/10
1 Assist, 1 Major Chance Created
Contributed significantly to victory
On the flight back to Amsterdam, the mood was jubilant but focused. One more match—just one more—and they'd reach the Champions League group stage.
Andrei stared out the window at the darkness below, marveling at how quickly his life had transformed. Six weeks ago, he'd arrived in Amsterdam as a hopeful prospect. Now he was a regular starter providing assists in Champions League qualifiers.
The system updated quietly:
Overall Rating: 75.6 → 76.1
Confidence: High
Form: Excellent
Trajectory: Elite development path
Elena met him at the airport again, as she always did for away matches.
"I watched online. That assist was beautiful."
"We're one match away from the Champions League group stage."
"You'll make it. Then the whole world will watch."
They drove home through the Amsterdam night, the canals reflecting city lights, the future stretching bright and uncertain before them.
Status Update:
Age: 18 years old
Overall Rating: 76.1/99
Club: Ajax Amsterdam
Competition: Champions League Playoff Round
Relationship: Stable and supportive
Career Trajectory: Rapidly ascending
One more match. Just one more.
And then the Champions League group stage—the pinnacle of club football, where the world's elite competed for glory.
Andrei Luca, the kid from Iași, was on the verge of playing among Europe's giants.
The beautiful game kept delivering miracles.