With a ticket for post-winter Champions League football on the line, Atalanta set up smartly in a 5-3-2 / 5-2-1-2 shape that frustrated Ajax for the entire game. The Dutch were unable to crack the code and created next to nothing from open play. A late strike from supersub Luis Muriel meant Atalanta would progress […]
Valencia were, as always, tough in their way of playing and made life difficult for their opponents. Ajax’s frustrations will most likely have been down to their own inadequacies, as an electric atmosphere could not take the hosts the extra yard needed to qualify for the knockout rounds. Tactical analysis and match report by Peter […]
Against an already eliminated Lille, Ajax had to win to secure their positions as leader of group H. Despite not having their best game in the season, the Dutch were efficient at both ends of the field. Lille created a few good chances, without converting. Tactical analysis and match report by Simon Piotr. Already eliminated […]
Even though it started out as an interesting tactical battle, this match can only be remembered as a representation of utter chaos on a football pitch. Two Chelsea own goals, two Ajax red cards conceded in the same Chelsea attack and a disallowed Chelsea winner meant that when the dust had settled in, both teams […]
Two evenly matched sides delivered a high-energy game with few genuine chances. The match was defined by the way both teams pressed and it titled Chelsea’s way late, as Michy Batshuayi scored a late winner. Tactical analysis and match report by Erik Elias. The appointment of Frank Lampard as Chelsea manager was greeted with […]
In a game full of events and goals, Ajax displayed their superiority once again, as Ten Hag had drawn lessons from the first game. In his tactical approach, the team was solid, yet Ajax were naive enough to let PAOK open the scoring, bringing frightening moments in the game that would last until the very […]
PAOK Saloniki gave Ajax a true run for their money, mainly by making the most of Ajax’s unorganized defense in moments of transition. After manager Erik Ten Hag adjusted his team’s buildup at half-time, Ajax took back control, scored an equalizer and dominated the rest of the match. Tactical analysis and match report by Erik […]
Tottenham are through to the Champions League final after Lucas Moura’s goal in the last seconds of the injury time completed “mission impossible” and turned the tie around in a breathtaking second half in the Johan Cruyff ArenA. After Ajax played a fine first half and with a 3-0 aggregate score at half-time, Tottenham shell-shocked […]
Ajax blitzed past Tottenham Hotspur in the opening stages and scored in the fifteenth minute. However, thanks to an early formation change from Pochettino, Spurs were better able to control Ajax for the remainder of the match. A fight ensued in the second half, which saw a dip in quality and an even bigger dip […]
After a close and well-fought first-half, Ajax’s terrific front four caused chaos in the Juventus defense with silky passing sequences, resistance to any sort of press against them and an amazing ability to create and exploit space, leading to their first Champions League semi final since 1997. Tactical analysis and match report by Joel Parker. […]