PAOK will meet again in the UEFA Champions League qualifiers a team that blocked their way six years ago. In the summer of 2010, after two hard-fought encounters, AFC Ajax secured qualification to the competition’s play-offs on the away goal rule (1-1 in Amsterdam, 3-3 in Toumba Stadium). In this six-year period, AFC Ajax have changed considerably. The team of Luis Suárez, Jan Vertonghen, Christian Eriksen and Siem de Jong is no longer. Nowadays, Ajax boast a youthful squad of quality and talent, of excellent elements but weak points as well. Here is their profile, as presented by paokfc.gr.

Made a mess in the end

8 May 2016. AFC Ajax were playing away at De Graafschap and needed to equal or better PSV Eindhoven’s result in order to claim the league title. The Amsterdam club had already planned their party. They had borrowed the home side’s bus and decorated it in their colours for their return to Amsterdam, as nobody was even considering the possibility of failure. Amin Younes gave Ajax the lead in minute 16 and everything seemed to be going their way. But De Graafschap leveled in the 55th minute and the visiting side were overcome by stress. They pushed for a winner until the end, but their efforts weren’t successful. With the last whistle, they collapsed on the pitch and couldn’t believe what had just happened. PSV Eindhoven had won 3-1 at PEC Zwolle and won the league.

It was the worst possible end to a disappointing season for the club, as they failed on all fronts. Back in August, they were eliminated by SK Rapid Wien in the 3rd qualifying round of the UEFA Champions League. They then struggled to qualify at the expense of FK Jablonec to the UEFA Europa League group stage. Drawn in a tough group against Celtic FC, Molde FK and Fenerbahçe SK, they won just one match, got seven points and were eliminated. All that, along with the early elimination in the KNVB Cup last “32” stage by Feyenoord, prompted the club administration to take action and make radical decisions.

The coach

After six years at the helm, Frank de Boer was released of his contract. The former Dutch international joined the club in 2006 and, after spending four years in the youth ranks, he took the reins of the senior team and led them to four consecutive league titles from 2011 to 2014. The last two unsuccessful seasons however spelled the end of his tenure.

Peter Bosz has taken over. Born in Apeldoorn, he took his first coaching job at the local club showing promising signs. He then had spells at SBV Vitesse and Feyenoord (as technical director). In January 2016, he accepted the coaching job at Maccabi Tel Aviv FC, leading them to 2nd place in the Israeli league. They were defeated in the Israeli Cup final by Maccabi Haifa FC.

On 25 May, AFC Ajax announced his appointment at the helm of their team and marketing director Edwin van der Sar said: «Peter is experienced, has clear vision and we believe him capable of helping our talented players to the next level. His teams always perform technical and attack-minded football that matches our philosophy«.

The roster

As always, AFC Ajax rely on talented young players. Their renowned academy is “producing” non-stop new talents, but it is obvious that their team nowadays lack strong personalities and experience.

So far, AFC Ajax have been moving under the radar in the transfer market. Two young Colombians, striker Mateo Casierra and centre-back Davinson Sánchez arrived in Amsterdam from Deportivo Cali and Atlético Nacional respectively. Ajax also signed Heiko Westermann, an experienced central defender with a huge career in Germany, especially at FC Schalke 04 and Hamburger SV.

The toughest job for the Dutch club is to keep their biggest stars in Amsterdam, despite the interest expressed from European clubs. So far they have parted company with Viktor Fischer who signed for Middlesbrough FC and Mike van der Hoorn who joined Swansea City AFC.
 

The star

Two players fall under this category: Arkadiusz Milik and Davy Klaassen. The latter has become a team leader at the young age of 23 and is also a vital cog in the Dutch national team. An outstanding midfielder, a play-maker of the old mould with creative qualities and an eye for goal.

However it’s Milik who stole the show last season. He joined AFC Ajax in 2014 on loan from Bayer 04 Leverkusen and, 23 goals and 10 assists later, the club’s administration rushed to activate his buy-out option and sign him on a permanent deal. The Polish striker proved them right and improved his stats further. Last season he conjured 24 goals and 13 assists in 42 encounters, attracting interest around Europe.

The stadium

Amsterdam Arena

Amsterdam Arena was inaugurated in 1996 as AFC Ajax played host to AC Milan. It was also considered a powerful tool in the Netherlands’ effort to bring the Olympic Games back to Amsterdam. It has a capacity of 53.502 spectators and is home ground to AFC Ajax, baseball team Amsterdam Admirals, while often hosting games of the Netherlands national team.

In 1998, it hosted UEFA Champions League final between Real Madrid CF and Juventus FC. Fifteen years later, Amsterdam Arena was the setting of the UEFA Europa League final between SL Benfica and Chelsea FC. It is also one of the main venues chosen for the UEFA Euro 2020.

Summer preseason

The Netherlands national team failed to make it to the UEFA Euro 2016 finals and that benefited AFC Ajax to a point, as they had all their players available for preseason training, with the exception of Arkadiusz Milik, who made it all the way to the quarter-finals with Poland.

The Amsterdam outfit have played two preseason friendlies so far. They lost 4-3 to Austrian side FC Liefering and played a 2-2 draw with 3rd-tier Amsterdamsche FC.

There are four more friendly games in their schedule: against KAA Gent and FC Krylia Sovetov on 16 July and versus AS Béziers and Olympique de Marseille on 20 July. These matches will seal their preseason training.

AFC Ajax kick off their engagement in the Eredivisie on Sunday 7 August against Sparta Rotterdam (15:30).