Ajax Amsterdam hosts Tottenham in the second leg of the Champions League semifinals. The match will be played on Wednesday, May 8th at Johan Cruijff Arena (Amsterdam)
In the first match in London, Ajax won 1-0, taking a huge step towards the Champions League final. History knows only one case when the team lost its first home match in the semifinals, but secured promotion in the second one. That is why it seems that the Spurs are doomed to be knocked out by Ajax. The head coach of the Spurs Mauricio Pochettino faced very serious squad problems in the first match: Harry Kane, Lamela, Winks, Aurier, Moussa Sissoko were injured, and Son Heung-min was disqualified. But the coaching staff of Ajax had no such problems - all the key players were in harness. The football shown by Ajax is incredibly difficult, but watching it is a real pleasure. Despite the status of the visitors, Ajax dominated afield in the first part of the first half, while the Spurs shot on goal for the first time only in the 26th minute. The London club grudged against its penalty area, because the Dutch showed a crazy team tempo and quickly moved the ball. The Spurs tried to cover the players individually, while Ajax used collective pressure, which brought much more benefit. The Spurs could not create anything like counterattacks even at the expense of aerial duels after long balls.
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As for the only goal in the match, which was scored by Donny van de Beek, it can cause plenty of arguments; however, one should admit admiration with the scoring attack itself. A smart opening, an incredible through-ball, a change in the direction of the attack, a short pause - this goal was a royal one. It seemed that Pochettino would change tactics after a conceded goal. But this was most likely caused not by a goal, but by the injury of Jan Vertonghen. The Spurs have increased the number of players focused on the attack. That’s why the team got more options to deliver the ball forward, and in general, the Londoners began to move the ball faster. Tottenham played simply enough, trying to crush an opponent due to physical strength and speed. In some cases, this is enough to turn the tide of the match.
When the intensity of the match increased, it became more difficult for the Dutch. Nevertheless, Ajax acted almost unmistakably in defense. In particular, it is worth saluting Daley Blind, who won almost all duels. The defender of Ajax has already played in England, and in this season, he probably proved that Manchester United should’ve given credence to him. David Neres could disallow all questions regarding the Champions League finalist. The beautiful Ajax attack in the 78th minute ended with a rebound from the goal post. It is clear to see that the Pochettino team did not have enough human resources in the first match. Surely, now the Londoners regret that there were no newcomers in the team in the last year - now they would be very useful. Currently, the Spurs have enough injured players, so their mood in the return game in Amsterdam won’t be very good. Tottenham will have its chances in the return game, but there will definitely be few of them. The thing is that Ajax is too calm and confident in defense. The Spurs will try to seize a territorial advantage, but this is unlikely to frighten the hosts. Real and Juventus, which had left the tournament, already felt the strength of the young Ajax. Of course, the Spurs are a financially richer club, but if they make it into the final in this situation, this will be a real sensation. Ajax is a very balanced and competent team that will be able to achieve the desired result in a home game.
Prediction for the match: Ajax to win with 0.0 handicap
