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October 21, 2020. 22:00. Netherlands. Amsterdam. Johan Cruyff Arena Stadium.
Champions League. Group D. First round
Ajax (Amsterdam, Holland) – Liverpool (England)
Where to look: “Soccer 1”, “Volia Soccer 3”
Injured: Anthony – Alisson, Virgil van Dyck, Joel Matip, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain
Ajax v Liverpool: bookmaker odds
“Ajax” are slowly renewing themselves, getting used to new combinations and playing without a number of key players who made the climate in Eric ten Haga’s team in recent years. In the summer of 2019, Matthijs de Ligt, Frenkie de Jong and Lasse Schöne left Amsterdam, and a year later Hakim Ziyech, Joel Veltman and Donnie van de Beek left. However, half of that gang of crazy people who whispered in the 2018-2019 Champions League remained and, by the most stupid coincidence, they did not reach the final. In reality, a new team is being built around it.
Read also: Liverpool and Manchester United negotiate a European Premier League
In the off-season, the “Jews” made some sensible transfers, more or less qualitatively reinforced. First of all, watch out for Brazilian winger Anthony, bought for decent money from “Sao Paulo”, as well as Ghanaian midfielder Mohammed Qudus, who moved from Danish “Nordsjelland”. Anthony has scored three goals in five Eredivisie rounds, two of which were victorious, while Kudus had three assists in three games, scoring his debut goal for Ajax last weekend. Sean Kleiber moved to Serginho Destu from Utrecht, and on the last day of the transfer window, prodigal son Davi Klaassen returned to Amsterdam, who will definitely add creativity to the game of the renewed team of ten Haga.
Read also: Werder Bremen midfielder Davi Klaassen joins Ajax
Ajax started the new season well in terms of results, having achieved three victories in three opening rounds of the Eredivisie, beating Sparta Rotterdam (1: 0) and Vitesse (2: 1) in the minority, and facing without problems at home. with “Walwijk” (3: 0). But before the international break, Amsterdamtsy lost to “Groningen”, slightly damaging their reputation, statistics and classification. However, two weeks later, the “Jews” rehabbed, brilliantly resolved in the “Johan Cruyff Arena” with “Heerenveen”, before a head-to-head encounter ahead of the capital’s great in qualifying. “Ajax” won 5: 1 – captain Dusan Tadic scored a double, then Kudus scored, after the break Klaassen scored his return with a penalty kick, with the final score set by substitute Anthony.
Read also: Alisson can return to service at the end of October
The good memories of the 2018-19 UEFA Champions League are sure to remain on the minds of everyone involved with Liverpool. Jurgen Klopp’s team beat Ajax’s Tottenham London in the final of the tournament, becoming the strongest team in Europe for the sixth time in history. The Lersisiders failed to defend the title; Even before the coronavirus break, they managed to give up their place in the quarterfinals to Atlético de Madrid, wasting many scoring chances in the main time of the second leg, and in extra time the hapless Adrián played a trick. However, the previous season, despite all the troubles and misfortunes, still gave Liverpool players, fans and coaches a load of positive emotions: the Reds won the English championship for the first time in 30 years.
Read also: Mohamed Salah scores 100th goal for Liverpool
In the offseason, the big point of “Liverpool” strengthened, becoming, it seems, even stronger, although before that it was very strong and great. The times when all sorts of “Manchester” and “Barcelona” could quietly remove key players from the “Reds”, promising only the prospect of winning serious trophies (well, a good salary, where without it) they are left behind. Now the Lersisiders themselves decide who to fire and who to leave on the team. And the purchase of Thiago Alcantara only confirms the fact that Liverpool has finally returned to the list of the coolest clubs in the world. The purchase of the Portuguese winger Diogo Jota, who has added seriously in recent seasons at Wolverhampton, also looks promising.
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Liverpool started the season with a penalty shootout loss to Arsenal in the FA Super Cup. Then there was a nervous championship debut win over Premier League newcomer Leeds (4: 3), achieved thanks to Salah’s goal from the penalty spot in the 88th minute. A week later, the Reds resolved with confidence at Chelsea (2-0), and then with no less confidence they eliminated Arsenal at Anfield (3-1). In the double-team duel in the League Cup, the Gunners retaliated by winning a series of penalties again, and then something happened that defied logic: Klopp’s team managed to blow up Aston Villa with a score of 2: 7! !
Read also: Jurgen Klopp: “Van Dyck collides with Pickford? It’s Virgil’s injury and a clear penalty!”
After a hiatus, Liverpool played a derby against the now powerful Everton Carlo Ancelotti at Goodison Park and, perhaps, they should have won. The ‘reds’ led the score on two occasions, but two times allowed the rival to recover, and in the last seconds of added time, the referee team stole the victory from the guests, canceling the clean, as it seems today , goal by Jordan Henderson. But it was not the loss of points that overshadowed last Saturday for Liverpool, but the news of the serious injury of the team leader Virgil van Dijk, who was brutally knocked out at the start of the match by the Irisok goalkeeper, who did not suffer any punishment for it. You see that an offside has been recorded.
Read also: England Championship. Everton 2: 2 Liverpool. Video review of the match
Ajax v Liverpool: indicative compositions
Erik ten Hag in the next game will be forced to do without the aforementioned Brazilian winger Anthony, who is not ready to play, is not fully recovering from his recent injury. On the right flank of the attack, the compatriot must replace David Neres, who missed most of the previous season due to injury and only recovered at the end of August. Neres’ company in the attack is likely to be Promes and Tadic. In the midfield, we expect the three Gravenberch-Claassen-Kudus (instead of any of them, however, the much more defensive Mexican Edson Álvarez can play), the four defenders and the goalkeeper, without surprises.
Read also: Virgil van Dijk may be retired due to injury for 7-8 months
As for Liverpool, the Reds’ main goalkeeper Alisson is still injured, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain is knocked out with knee problems, and now Liverpool players are left without Virgil van Dyck, one of their key players, for a long time. . … Also, in Amsterdam, Joel Matip will not help the guests, which means that in the center of the defense we will see a couple of Gomez – Fabinho. Well, the participation in the match of Thiago Alcantara, whose leg nearly ripped his leg off in a completely insane tackle by Richarlison at the end of the Liverpool derby, is questionable. The decision to include the Asturian in the match request will bring Klopp closer to the opening whistle. But at least he started training and is ready to play in Amsterdam, which returned from quarantine Nabi Keita.
Ajax v Liverpool: author’s forecast
Curious, but true: the paths of Ajax and Liverpool in official matches have crossed only once before, and even that was in December 1966 in the round of 16 of the European Cup. Rinus Michels was beginning to build his great team led by the young Johan Cruyff, and the great Bill Shankly was in charge of the Merseysides. In the first leg in Amsterdam, the hosts won 5: 1 and the second leg ended in a 2: 2 draw. These two great clubs had to wait for another meeting for more than half a century.
Read also: Everton goalkeeper Jordan Pickford will not be penalized for injuring Virgil van Dyck
Despite solid personnel problems, Liverpool remain the clear favorite in the next game, but I would not rush to rule out Ajax. The “Reds” with the magician Adrian in the “box”, but also with van Dyck, missed seven in Birmingham, and generally miss a lot in the new season. The “Jews” are traditionally focused on attack and I think they will create a lot of problems for the weakened defense of Klopp’s team. The guests, in turn, will probably not sit back on defense, which means that we have every chance of seeing a real goal show at the Johan Cruyff Arena. Betting on the victory of Liverpool is not very interesting, betting on the victory of Ajax is very risky, and that is why I suggest you watch this match and enjoy open attack football with many goals scored.
Frequently asked questions
🥇 What time does the game start?
The match will start at 22:00
🥇 What is the best place to bet?
It is best to place a bet on the Parimatch website with odds 1.96
