Kluivert to meet Kean as Ajax host Juventus
Monday, January 23, 2017
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One is following in the footsteps of his father, the other is the creator of a piece of UEFA Champions League trivia – meet Justin Kluivert and Moise Kean ahead of the Ajax-Juventus play-off.
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Moise Kean and Justin Kluivert, attacking talents who have sampled first-team football this season at the age of 16 and 17 respectively, are in line to face off when Juventus visit Ajax in the UEFA Youth League play-offs on 7 February. UEFA.com profiles two of the most distinguishable tyros in the knockout phase.
Justin Kluivert (left-winger, Ajax)
2016/17 UEFA Youth League record
Appearances: 4
Assists: 3
Goals: 1
• In an interview with the Ajax website titled 'My 2017', Justin Kluivert said: "This will be my year. I have worked hard for it, though I still have a long way to go. This year I may get the rewards for all the hard work. I would love to debut in Ajax's first team. It's possible, so I believe I will."
• Kluivert realised his wish on 15 January, coming off the bench against Zwolle in an Eredivisie fixture. He emulated his father Patrick, who was 167 days older when he made his first appearance for Ajax in August 1994, seven weeks after his 18th birthday.
• Quick and comfortable on either flank, Kluivert is predominantly a left-sided attacking player who likes to cut inside on to his right foot.
• Speaking to UEFA.com at the 2016 UEFA European U17 Championship in Azerbaijan, where he helped the Netherlands reach the semi-finals, Kluivert said: "I like it when I'm compared to my dad. He had a great career and I hope to have one, too. They [fans and media] anticipate things from me, but I feel no pressure – I just love playing football."
• Kluivert played every minute of Ajax's respective victories over Breidablik and PAOK in the first and second rounds of the Domestic Champions path, chipping in with this effort against the Greek side ...
Moise Kean (forward, Juventus)
2016/17 UEFA Youth League record
Appearances: 3
Assists: 0
Goals: 2
• Kean became the first player born this millennium to feature in the UEFA Champions League when he was given a cameo in Juventus's encounter with Sevilla on 22 November 2016.
• Three days earlier Kean, who was born in Italy to Ivorian parents, had been handed his Bianconeri debut, replacing Mario Mandžukić in the closing stages of a 3-0 success against Pescara.
• Kean scored the Italian team's first goal of the 2016/17 UEFA Youth League group stage, a strike you can watch in the video box to the right.
• Kean and Kluivert were briefly on the same pitch at the U17 EURO last May. Kluivert had only been on the field for two minutes when he delivered a cross that led to the winning goal, headed in by club-mate Che Nunnely. Kean was then sent off in added time and missed Italy's final game as the Azzurrini were eliminated.