Ajax Amsterdam will have to get the best of neighbouring Standard Liege in order to qualify for the Champions League playoff round. The Dutch giants were eliminated at this stage in the previous two seasons.
Ajax Amsterdam making championship moves
It’s been four years since Ajax Amsterdam last won a league title and the team’s leadership is tired from the lack of silverware. That’s why they decided to do something we rarely see Ajax do, which is spent in the transfer market. First, they acquired Serbian international Dusan Tadic from Southampton and then brought back former academy graduate Daley Blind from Manchester United. Mechelen’s Hassane Bande and Utrecht Zakaria Labyad compiled a total of €42 million spent for new arrivals. The club did lose talented their striker Justin Kluivert to Roma. Winger Amin Younes walked away as a free agent to join Napoli while starting centre back Nick Viergever’s contract wasn’t renewed, so he made a switch to rivals PSV.
Erik ten Hag’s starting lineup is now composed of a handful of brilliant youngsters in Andre Onana (GK), Matthijs de Ligt (CB), Frankie de Jong (CB), Noussair Mazraoui (RB), Carel Eiting (MF) and David Neres (FW), who are mashed together with accomplished professionals Dusan Tadic, Nicolas Tagliafico, Hakim Ziyech, Lasse Schone and Klaas-Jan Huntelaar. That’s the majority of the lineup which eliminated Sturm Graz (5-1 on aggregate) in the second qualifying round and it is a lineup which will try to dispose of Standard Liege as well.
Standard Liege current state of affairs
The Belgians are here after finishing second in the Jupiler league behind winner Club Brugge. Standard actually ended the regular season in 6th place but jumped all the way to second after some great performances during the Champions Group playoffs. Standard Liege last reached the Champions’ League group stage during the 2009/10 season, while the last time they had a chance to qualify was 2011/12 when they lost to FC Zurich in the third qualifying round.
Michel Preud’homme’s team largely relies on forward, trio Paul-Jose M’Poku, Renaud Emond and 20-year-old Malian football prodigy Moussa Djenepo. They’ll have to find a way to rattle Ajax’s young defence if the Belgian club is to have any chance at travelling to Amsterdam with an advantage.
Standard Liege – Ajax Amsterdam Betting Odds
Standard Liege 3.3
Draw 3.4
Ajax Amsterdam 2.15
