Since the November international break, both Ajax and Galatasaray have struggled in European competition, slipping out of the top eight. In Amsterdam, both sides will be desperate for a win—Galatasaray still have a chance to skip the play-off round, while Ajax need redemption after recent failures.
Ajax have benefited from PSV Eindhoven’s slip-ups in the Eredivisie, with wins over RKC Waalwijk (2:1) and Heerenveen (2:0) bringing them within one point of the league leaders. However, their cup form has been poor—Ajax were eliminated from the KNVB Cup by AZ Alkmaar (0:2) and suffered a shocking 0:1 defeat to Rigas Futbola Skola in Latvia last week, despite dominating in attack (0.96–0.21 in xG). At home in the Europa League, Ajax have been prolific, winning all three of their matches with a combined score of 10:3.
Galatasaray are the highest-scoring team in the Europa League, with all six of their matches exceeding 2.5 goals and an average of 4.6 goals per game. Their recent 3:3 draw against bottom-placed Dynamo Kyiv was their third consecutive draw, but they remain just one point outside the top eight. Over the weekend, they edged past Konyaspor (1:0), with their star striker Victor Osimhen scoring the only goal. The Nigerian has hit top form, registering six goals and one assist since 22 December.
These two sides are evenly matched and won’t settle for a dull game. Ajax and Galatasaray are clubs of Champions League level, and this clash promises plenty of goals.
