Preview: Ajax vs. PSV Eindhoven - prediction, team news, lineups

Both teams are facing off in this competition for the second year running following a 4-0 victory for PSV in the most recent edition.

Match preview

Ajax exhibited great powers of recovery in a comprehensive 3-1 triumph over Ukrainian outfit Shakhtar Donetsk in Amsterdam on Tuesday evening.

After going behind to Mykhailo Mudryk's opener, Alfred Schreuder's men hit back through goals from Dusan Tadic, Steven Berghuis and Mohammed Kudus.

De Godenzonen have wrapped up their preparations for the upcoming campaign in style, winning four and drawing one of their six pre-season friendlies.

Coming up is the challenge of an opposing outfit who lost both of last season's league meetings between the sides but claimed victories in two domestic final clashes.

Having won all but two of their 13 matches on home turf since the turn of the year, Saturday's hosts will be confident of securing another positive result in front of their fans.

PSV Eindhoven saw off the threat of La Liga side Real Betis courtesy of a hard-fought 2-1 victory at the Philips Stadion on Sunday evening.

Cody Gakpo's seventh-minute opener saw Ruud van Nistelrooy's men head into the break with a narrow advantage but they were pegged back in the early exchanges of the second half by Juanmi before Philipp Mwene decided the game 20 minutes from time.

The Rood-witten, who finished as Eredivisie runners-up during the just-concluded campaign, now set out to pick up the first available silverware of the new season where they will be looking to wrestle Ajax for domestic dominance.

Ahead of the first leg of their Champions League play-offs against Monaco on Tuesday, Saturday's visitors go in search of a morale-boosting win to help set the tone for their continental commitment.

Ajax form (all competitions):

PSV Eindhoven form (all competitions):

Team News

Thirty-one-year-old Luuk de Jong is set to make his second PSV debut having returned to the club as a free agent from Barcelona earlier this month.

Philipp Mwene marked his return to action from a lengthy injury spell with a goal last time out and the Austrian will be pushing for a start this weekend.

Since reporting for pre-season duty a fortnight ago, Mohammed Kudus has found the back of the net in three successive matches, making the midfielder one to keep an eye on.

The newly-signed Steven Bergwijn will make his Ajax bow against his former employers who he spent six years with prior to his move to Tottenham Hotspur.

Maarten Stekelenburg remains sidelined with a foot injury, meaning that Remko Pasveer is in line to feature between the sticks once again.

Ajax possible starting lineup:

Pasveer; Wijndal, Blind, Timber, Rensch; Klaassen, Alvarez, Berghuis; Bergwijn, Tadic, Antony

PSV Eindhoven possible starting lineup:

Benitez; Hoever, Teze, Obispo, Max; Sangare, Til, Veerman; Madueke, De Jong, Gakpo

We say: Ajax 2-1 PSV Eindhoven

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