Champions League: Amsterdam Encounter Provides Reality Check

Ajax vs Liverpool

Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp said Saturday’s Premier League reverse at newly-promoted Nottingham Forest had caused to him feel as ‘low as possible’.

The frustration was etched all over his face, just six days after his side had defeated the champions.

However, assessing the wider picture, how Ajax would love to be in the position Klopp finds himself in.

For this Wednesday’s Champions League meeting in the Johan Cruyff ArenA in Amsterdam sees them welcome a team which is in rude health compared to their own.

Talking Points

Indeed, for the proud Ajax of Amsterdam, this has been a summer just like so many others in recent memory; a club again forced to sell many of its star players.

This year was a case in point as Holland’s finest parted company with, amongst others, Noussair Mazraui and Ryan Gravenberch for Bayern Munich, Sebastien Haller to Borussia Dortmund, Lisandro Martinez and Antony for Manchester United and even their manager.

So, forgive Ajax for having little sympathy with the issues of many of their opponents in the Champions League who are able to regularly cherry-pick their leading talents, often developed through the Dutch club’s fabled academy.

Yet here we are and Ajax still have a chance, albeit slim, of qualifying for the knockout stages of the tournament with two games remaining.

They will need to beat Liverpool though to keep alive their hopes.

It would be fascinating to see how Ajax would fare if they had managed to keep hold of the likes of Frenkie de Jong, Matthijs de Ligt and Hakim Ziyech in recent years That is not the case, of course and so the class of 2022 take on last season’s defeated finalists very much as underdogs.

They did come within a few minutes of an impressive point at Anfield last month.

Since then, they have shipped 10 goals in two games to Serie A high-fliers Napoli so, first and foremost, will need to tighten up if they are to create Champions League highlights.

The reigning Dutch champions are at least back on track domestically after dropping five points in two matches either side of the international break, having smashed 15 goals past their opponents in their last three games to open up a four-point gap over PSV Eindhoven at the top of the Eredivisie table.

This will be a much bigger test though for new boss Alfred Schreuder who will be without youngsters Ahmetcan Kaplan, Devyne Rensch and Mohamed Ihattaren due to injuries, while midfielder Kenneth Taylor is a doubt with a muscle strain.

Despite bagging a brace in his side’s 4-1 victory away to RKC Waalwijk at the weekend, Brian Bobbey is likely to make way for Mohammed Kudus in attack.

Liverpool, meanwhile, will travel to Holland without Luis Diaz, Diogo Jota and Joel Matip due to injury, although could welcome back Darwin Nunez, Thiago Alcantara and Ibrahima Konate to their matchday squad.

Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Naby Keita have both resumed training after long-term muscle injuries, but neither were included in their Champions League squad which just shows the depth they have.

Ajax have overcome the odds so often in the past but there comes a time when constant rebuilding takes its toll. This will be an acid test of how equipped they are following another summer exodus.

History

Liverpool defeated Ajax 1-0 home and away in the group stages of the competition two seasons ago.

There was the first meetings between the two clubs since the mid 1960s (1966/67) in the second round of the European Cup.

It was one-way traffic then, however, as Ajax, managed by the late great, Rinus Michels, thrashed Liverpool 5-1 in Amsterdam before drawing 2-2 in the second leg on Merseyside.

The scorer of the two Liverpool goals that night was Roger Hunt who had lifted the World Cup wit England just a few months earlier.

Betting Tip

The SBOTOP Champions League betting odds clearly back Liverpool.

The visitors are priced 1X2 @ 1.88 and Asian Handicap -0.75 @ 2.11.

Ajax are available to tip 1X2 @ 3.65 and Asian Handicap +0.50 @ 2.05.

The Draw is on offer @ 3.80, whereas a repeat of Liverpool’s 2-1 victory from last month will pay out @ 7.20 with Correct Score.

One option which has caught my eye was Half Time Full Time Home Draw @ 17.50. I would imagine both teams will go on the attack in this one and should lead to a fair few goals.

 

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