Make AFC AJAX Great Again
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Danimal5981
Topic author - Posts: 363
- Joined: 05 May 2021, 15:52
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Danimal5981
Topic author - Posts: 363
- Joined: 05 May 2021, 15:52
Make AFC AJAX Great Again
MARZEC CONTINUES IN TRADEMARK TACTICS
- Despite wishes to the opposite from Technical Director Jordi Cruijff, head coach sticks to hiss 4-3-3 attack-wing play tactics
- Kasper Dolberg seems to have lost the touch a bit in 2027, while the returned from loan Don-Angelo Konadu has scored four times in two appearances as substitute
- PSV Eindhoven are still keeping Ajax honest at only seven points. The two are miles ahead of the rest in the Eredivisie
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JustinCase
- Posts: 529
- Joined: 15 Feb 2026, 12:00
Make AFC AJAX Great Again
Dolberg under threat. However, it is good to see a young forward leading the line for Ajax again. Such is the tradition with former icons such as van Basten, Bergkamp, Zlatan, Suárez, Huntelaar and more. Fingers crossed for Konadu to continue the lineage.
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Danimal5981
Topic author - Posts: 363
- Joined: 05 May 2021, 15:52
Make AFC AJAX Great Again
MOURINHO DEFEATS AJAX AGAIN
Lisbon, 20 JANUARY 2027 | In a buzzing Estádio da Luz, José Mourinho's Benfica played against Ajax for it's final chance to survive the group stage of 2026/2027 UEFA Champions League. For Mourinho, it was the 9th time he faced the Amsterdam side. And like the eight times before, Mourinho came out the better: Benfica defeated Ajax 3-2. Becuase of the win, Benfica are among the best 24 teams again, on route to the preliminary round of 16, where it could face Ajax again: the Dutch team fell out of the top 8 because of the defeat and are now in ninth. The 9th placed team faces the 24th in the preliminaries.
Ajax-head coach Daniel Marzec finally granted the wish of Director Jordi Cruijff, by fielding his team in a 1-3-4-2-1 formation with the team pressing high up the pitch. The timing of the radical experiment was curious. 'Well, this was a game where a point would've been nice, but in the end the game at home against AC Milan is what really matters, so hence the experiment today', the coach admitted. Apart from the formation, the starting line-up was also different: striker Kasper Dolberg was benched in favour of Don-Angelo Konadu, while at the back Tobías Ramírez was on the right side of a 3 man-defence.
The visitors clearly felt uncomfortable in the opening phase and it was Benfica that took the initiative. Just before the first quarter was done, winger Bruma opened the score for the home team. He outfoxed the young Ramírez and scored a beautiful diagonal passed Ajax-goalie Rajković. One Ajax trade was unchanged though: the Amsterdam side bounced back quickly, with Konadu confirming the trust coach Marzec had put in him.
However, Benfica retook the initiative after that with Vangelis Pavlidis scoring; again, Ramírez was the one giving away too much space by not marking the striker more tightly. Pavlidis also scored the 3-1 right after halftime, but like the first half it was Konadu responding quickly: 3-2. That meant that all goals were scored by people that were once upon a time active in the Dutch Eredivisie: Bruma represented PSV, while Pavlidis played for AZ Alkmaar not long ago.
After the 3-2, Ajax failed to press on and go for the equalizer, though Maher Carrizo did manage to shoot at the woodwork. 'We were struggling with ourselves a bit, due to the unfamiliarity of this new approach', Marzec said. 'But, everything put together we weren't far away from a draw against somebody who has beaten Ajax eight times already.'
That man, José Mourinho, couldn't leave it to put some salt in the wound: 'As manager of Real Madrid I defeated Ajax six times. Then, as manager of Manchester United we won the 2017 UEFA Europa League final against them and now at Benfica, this is the second time I beat them. And it's easy, because Ajax are a team that always play the same more or less. Especially today, when Ajax reverted to their classical game I knew I was going to win. Before, my opponent played slightly different and that had worried me more. But today, they show up in a version of 3-4-3, the same as what I saw as assistent at Barcelona under Bobby Robson and Louis van Gaal. So, they use their typical game and I use mine. Because that works against them..., once again.'
The win of Benfica over Ajax had consequences elsewhere. Benfica are now in 24th, but that has pushed Liverpool out. The Reds didn't come further than a 2-2 draw at PSV Eindhoven. The situation is worse for Atlético, Napoli and Olympique Lyon who're all three on the brink of being knocked out of the tournament. Next week, Ajax plays a rematch of the 1995 Champions League final that they won against AC Milan. Benfica plays again in Da Luz this time facing Atlético, while Liverpool need to win at Anfield gainst Turkish side Fenerbahçe.
Lisbon, 20 JANUARY 2027 | In a buzzing Estádio da Luz, José Mourinho's Benfica played against Ajax for it's final chance to survive the group stage of 2026/2027 UEFA Champions League. For Mourinho, it was the 9th time he faced the Amsterdam side. And like the eight times before, Mourinho came out the better: Benfica defeated Ajax 3-2. Becuase of the win, Benfica are among the best 24 teams again, on route to the preliminary round of 16, where it could face Ajax again: the Dutch team fell out of the top 8 because of the defeat and are now in ninth. The 9th placed team faces the 24th in the preliminaries.
Ajax-head coach Daniel Marzec finally granted the wish of Director Jordi Cruijff, by fielding his team in a 1-3-4-2-1 formation with the team pressing high up the pitch. The timing of the radical experiment was curious. 'Well, this was a game where a point would've been nice, but in the end the game at home against AC Milan is what really matters, so hence the experiment today', the coach admitted. Apart from the formation, the starting line-up was also different: striker Kasper Dolberg was benched in favour of Don-Angelo Konadu, while at the back Tobías Ramírez was on the right side of a 3 man-defence.
The visitors clearly felt uncomfortable in the opening phase and it was Benfica that took the initiative. Just before the first quarter was done, winger Bruma opened the score for the home team. He outfoxed the young Ramírez and scored a beautiful diagonal passed Ajax-goalie Rajković. One Ajax trade was unchanged though: the Amsterdam side bounced back quickly, with Konadu confirming the trust coach Marzec had put in him.
However, Benfica retook the initiative after that with Vangelis Pavlidis scoring; again, Ramírez was the one giving away too much space by not marking the striker more tightly. Pavlidis also scored the 3-1 right after halftime, but like the first half it was Konadu responding quickly: 3-2. That meant that all goals were scored by people that were once upon a time active in the Dutch Eredivisie: Bruma represented PSV, while Pavlidis played for AZ Alkmaar not long ago.
After the 3-2, Ajax failed to press on and go for the equalizer, though Maher Carrizo did manage to shoot at the woodwork. 'We were struggling with ourselves a bit, due to the unfamiliarity of this new approach', Marzec said. 'But, everything put together we weren't far away from a draw against somebody who has beaten Ajax eight times already.'
That man, José Mourinho, couldn't leave it to put some salt in the wound: 'As manager of Real Madrid I defeated Ajax six times. Then, as manager of Manchester United we won the 2017 UEFA Europa League final against them and now at Benfica, this is the second time I beat them. And it's easy, because Ajax are a team that always play the same more or less. Especially today, when Ajax reverted to their classical game I knew I was going to win. Before, my opponent played slightly different and that had worried me more. But today, they show up in a version of 3-4-3, the same as what I saw as assistent at Barcelona under Bobby Robson and Louis van Gaal. So, they use their typical game and I use mine. Because that works against them..., once again.'
The win of Benfica over Ajax had consequences elsewhere. Benfica are now in 24th, but that has pushed Liverpool out. The Reds didn't come further than a 2-2 draw at PSV Eindhoven. The situation is worse for Atlético, Napoli and Olympique Lyon who're all three on the brink of being knocked out of the tournament. Next week, Ajax plays a rematch of the 1995 Champions League final that they won against AC Milan. Benfica plays again in Da Luz this time facing Atlético, while Liverpool need to win at Anfield gainst Turkish side Fenerbahçe.
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Danimal5981
Topic author - Posts: 363
- Joined: 05 May 2021, 15:52
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Danimal5981
Topic author - Posts: 363
- Joined: 05 May 2021, 15:52
Make AFC AJAX Great Again
- Ajax again failed to convince in the 3-4-3 approach, but by the skin of their teeth defeat FC Twente
- PSV is staying put, with a hard fought win over FC Utrecht, whom now dropped to 5th
- Feyenoord are the winners of this weekend: after a 2-0 home win over Groningen, the Rotterdam side are now in 4th only three points shy of Twente.
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kibaxx7
- Posts: 2771
- Joined: 27 Nov 2018, 18:56
Make AFC AJAX Great Again
Big clubs coming for your guys. Hope you can keep them around a little longer.
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Danimal5981
Topic author - Posts: 363
- Joined: 05 May 2021, 15:52
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Danimal5981
Topic author - Posts: 363
- Joined: 05 May 2021, 15:52
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Danimal5981
Topic author - Posts: 363
- Joined: 05 May 2021, 15:52
Make AFC AJAX Great Again
AJAX AND MILAN SETTLE FOR DRAW
