Burkina Faso
Czech Republic
Lithuania
Montenegro
Nigeria
North Macedonia
United Arab Emirates

Ajaxvs.M. Tel Aviv

sportsmole.co.uk, 5 November 2024, 22:44
Dutch giants Ajax are set to host Israeli side Maccabi Tel Aviv on Thursday at Johan Cruijff ArenA in their fourth Europa League game of the season.

The hosts are fourth in the Europa League table with seven points from their three games and beat Qarabag FK 3-0 on October 24, whereas the away side are third last in 34th place and lost 2-1 against Real Sociedad on October 24.

Match preview

Ajax comprehensively beat Qarabag last time out in the Europa League, restricting them to just 0.09 xG, though they were aided by the fact that their opponents were reduced to 10 men in the 15th minute and later nine men in the 79th minute.

In their previous matches in the Europa League, De Godenzonen drew 1-1 with Slavia Prague in early October and beat Besiktas 4-0 in late September, and have scored the third most goals of any team in the competition at this stage.

Boss Francesco Farioli will also be pleased that his team are seemingly in contention for the Eredivisie title once more given they are currently in second place with 25 points from 10 matches, five points from leaders PSV Eindhoven with a game in hand.

Farioli's side finished in fifth place last term with 56 points, 35 points behind champions PSV, but if they were to maintain their record of 2.5 points per game this term they would end the 2024-25 season with 85 points.

Ajax have won their six most recent games and have also won 11 and drawn two of their last 13 matches.

The hosts have either won or progressed from their last nine home fixtures, and have won or progressed from their last five Europa League games at Johan Cruijff ArenA, scoring 11 goals and conceding on two occasions.

The visitors come into the clash having deservedly lost against Real Sociedad, a match in which the Israeli side had only 37% possession and produced just one big chance, while their opponents produced three big chances.

In their 2024-25 Europa League campaign, Maccabi Tel Aviv have conceded four of their six goals in the 64th minute or later.

Manager Zarko Lazetic's side are third in their domestic league with 19 points after nine matchweeks and are level on points with first-placed Maccabi Haifa.

Lazetic's team are in poor form considering they have lost five, drawn one and won two of their eight most recent games, including their most recent three by a cumulative score of 6-2.

Maccabi Tel Aviv have lost two of their last three away games, but to their credit they did win four and draw one of the prior five matches on the road.

Ajax Europa League form:

D

W

W

W

D

W

Ajax form (all competitions):

W

W

W

W

W

W

Maccabi Tel Aviv Europa League form:

W

W

W

L

L

L

Maccabi Tel Aviv form (all competitions):

L

W

W

L

L

L

Team News

The home team have no confirmed absentees, though they have several doubts, including forwards Amourricho van Axel Dongen and Julian Rijkhoff, as well as midfielders Kristian Hlynsson and Sivert Heggheim Mannsverk.

Kian Fitz-Jim, Jordan Henderson and Kenneth Taylor could start in midfield, while Christian Kjelder Rasmussen, Wout Weghorst and Mika Godts may start in attack.

Centre-back Gaston Avila is also a doubt, so expect Daniele Rugani and Josip Sutalo to be selected in the heart of defence.

Meanwhile, the visitors will be without the suspended winger Osher Davida, as well as left-back Roy Revivo.

Roei Mashpati is likely to start in goal, and he could be shielded by a defence consisting of Tyrese Asante, Nemanja Stojic, Raz Shlomo and Ofir Davidzada.

In the forward line, Weslley Patati, Dor Peretz and Ido Shahar are probable candidates to feature behind striker Elad Madmon.

Ajax possible starting lineup:

Pasveer; Rensch, Rugani, Sutalo, Hato; Fitz-Jim, Henderson, Taylor; Rasmussen, Weghorst, Godts

Maccabi Tel Aviv possible starting lineup:

Mashpati; Asante, Stojic, Shlomo, Davidzada; Kanikovski, Sissokho; Patati, Peretz, Shahar; Madmon

We say: Ajax 3-1 Maccabi Tel Aviv

It is difficult to ignore Ajax's strong home form and good overall showings in the Europa League so far, and they should be favourites on Thursday.

Previews by email
Show more

Top News

28 March 2025 sportsmole.co.uk Freiburg will hope to boost their chances of Champions League qualification with victory against visitors Union Berlin on Sunday in the Bundesliga at Europa-Park Stadion. 28 March 2025 talksport.com When Mesut Ozil got on the ball, it was like he cast a spell on the crowd as they watched on in awe. 28 March 2025 sportsmole.co.uk Manchester City Women will look to bounce back from their European exit when they travel to Broadfield Stadium for Sunday's meeting with Brighton & Hove Albion Women 28 March 2025 sportsmole.co.uk Fulham boss Marco Silva has insisted he is focused on Saturday's FA Cup clash against Crystal Palace despite it being "very nice" to hit the significant milestone of 500 games in management. 28 March 2025 sportsmole.co.uk Manchester United are reportedly considering making a move for Braga attacker Roger Fernandes this summer. 28 March 2025 sportsmole.co.uk Real Madrid will continue their La Liga campaign with a clash against Leganes on Saturday night. 28 March 2025 sportsmole.co.uk Barcelona attacker Dani Olmo will be sidelined for approximately three weeks with the right adductor injury that he suffered during the team's La Liga clash with Osasuna on Thursday night. 28 March 2025 sportsmole.co.uk Bournemouth head coach Andoni Iraola has revealed Marcos Senesi could be in the squad for Sunday's FA Cup quarter-final against Manchester City. 28 March 2025 sportsmole.co.uk Osasuna have launched an official appeal to the Spanish Football Federation, claiming that Inigo Martinez was not eligible to take to the field for Barcelona in Thursday's La Liga contest. 28 March 2025 sportsmole.co.uk Aiming to keep their faint hopes of Conference League qualification alive, Brest will travel to the South Coast on Sunday afternoon to face Toulouse in Ligue 1. 28 March 2025 talksport.com Jean-Philippe Mateta is back from his horror injury, but he's now having to wear some unique protective headgear. 28 March 2025 sportsmole.co.uk Real Madrid head coach Carlo Ancelotti is confident that Kylian Mbappe, Vinicius Junior, Antonio Rudiger and Dani Ceballos will all be available for the first leg of their Champions League quarter-final with Arsenal on April 8. 28 March 2025 sportsmole.co.uk Liverpool Women will look to bounce back from a 4-0 defeat to Arsenal when they face Aston Villa Women in Sunday's clash at the St Helens Stadium. 28 March 2025 sportsmole.co.uk Leicester City Women will welcome Tottenham Hotspur Women to the King Power Stadium for Sunday's Women's Super League fixture. 28 March 2025 sportsmole.co.uk Both looking to ease their growing fears of relegation, Angers and Rennes will clash at Stade Raymond Kopa for a Ligue 1 match on Sunday afternoon. 28 March 2025 sportsmole.co.uk Manchester United Women will welcome Everton Women to Leigh Sports Village for Sunday's Women's Super League encounter. 28 March 2025 talksport.com Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca scrapped a planned rest day for his senior squad after they suffered a shock 3-0 loss to the club's under-21 side in training. 28 March 2025 talksport.com Wrexham are financially stable enough to challenge the big hitters next season if they secure promotion to the Championship. 28 March 2025 sportsmole.co.uk Buoyed by reaching the Women's Champions League semi-final, Arsenal Women will return to Women's Super League action for Sunday's meeting with Crystal Palace Women. 28 March 2025 sportsmole.co.uk Manchester City are reportedly plotting a move for Liverpool-linked Jeremie Frimpong in the summer transfer window. 28 March 2025 sportsmole.co.uk Tottenham Hotspur are reportedly prepared to consider offers for defender Cristian Romero during the summer transfer window. 28 March 2025 sportsmole.co.uk Manchester United are reportedly prepared to pay over the release clause of Francisco Trincao in order to land the attacker. 28 March 2025 talksport.com Brazilian football delivered yet another night of chaos as Corinthians clinched their first title in six years - with a familiar face in the middle of a controversial Sao Paolo derby. 28 March 2025 sportsmole.co.uk Pep Guardiola has been impressed with young centre-back Abdukodir Khusanov since joining Manchester City in the January transfer window. 28 March 2025 sportsmole.co.uk Bournemouth boss Andoni Iraola must work around two crushing suspension blows for Sunday's FA Cup quarter-final showdown with Manchester City at the Vitality Stadium. 28 March 2025 sportsmole.co.uk Arsenal have reportedly moved ahead in the race for Blackburn Rovers sensation Harvey Higgins. 28 March 2025 sportsmole.co.uk Manchester City head coach Pep Guardiola is confident of having Ederson available for Sunday's FA Cup quarter-final tie with Bournemouth at the Vitality Stadium. 28 March 2025 sportsmole.co.uk Manchester United teenager Bendito Mantato is reportedly in line for a new four-year contract at Old Trafford. 28 March 2025 sportsmole.co.uk Catalan battles Basque in the pick of this weekend's FA Cup quarter-finals, where Andoni Iraola's Bournemouth host Pep Guardiola's Manchester City at the Vitality Stadium. 28 March 2025 sportsmole.co.uk Crystal Palace manager Oliver Glasner has delivered a positive update on the fitness of his squad ahead of Saturday lunchtime's FA Cup quarter-final tie with Fulham at Craven Cottage.