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AFC Ajax feature in a Champions League semi-final for the first time since 1997. It's a merry run for the Dutch club, stunning the European giants, Real Madrid and Juventus, on their way to the last four.
De Godenzonen travel to London for the semi-final first leg, facing Tottenham Hotspur on Tuesday. The Ajax players have proved their mettle in this year's tournament, holding Bayern Munich and to a draw in both group fixtures, and surprising the entire football fraternity after their semi-final qualification.
The Amsterdam outfit lock horns with a euphoric Tottenham Hotspur, who managed to beat the competition favorites, Manchester City, over two legs. Erik ten Hag's side anticipate a stern challenge to overcome a shrewd tactician in the form of Mauricio Pochettino.
Spurs and Ajax are attack oriented teams and the clash between them promises to be a tantalizing one. The Dutch side hold a golden opportunity to lift their fifth Champions League this season and here are three reasons why...
#3 Intrepid brand of football
The biggest threat Ajax boys possess is their courage to follow their philosophy. De Joden blew away the defending champions Real Madrid at Santiago Bernabeu and stunned Cristiano Ronaldo's Juve side at their home turf.
AFC Ajax have abided by Johan Cruyff's vision, playing simple and free-flowing football. They have produced incredible results at Bernabeu and Turin which shows that players are unfazed by opponents' stature and have imposed themselves with aplomb. Ajax's audacious performance in Madrid was bewildering as they completely eclipsed the Blancos and that signified their credentials.
Nothing to lose approach has undoubtedly helped the Eredivisie side as they were not expected to be the frontrunners for the competition, which has allowed players to express themselves without the fear of losing.
Facing Pochettino's tactically open-ended side in a high-voltage encounter is a challenge Erik ten Hag's side will relish. It will be interesting to see if ten Hag changes his approach for the semi-final.
#2 Previous European experiences
AFC Ajax tasted defeat in the Europa League final in 2017 against Manchester United. Peter Bosz, then Ajax manager, deployed a similar blueprint and his side eased their way into the finals.
In the finals, Jose Mourinho set his team to disrupt the rhythm and fluency of the Bosz's group. Marouane Fellaini dominated the game with long balls arrowed into him. The United side targeted Ajax's inexperience, achieving its objective successfully.
Matthijs De Ligt played in the final, and he realized the essentials of a big European match. Hakim Ziyech, the chief playmaker of Ajax this season, featured in the 2017 finale, too, and the players have rapidly learned from their past mistakes.
Victory at Allianz Stadium was an epitome of maturity in this Ajax XI as they targeted the weaknesses of the Juve team and achieved a 2-1 triumph by their controlled aggression. Erik ten Hag has gradually inclined towards pragmatism as his team is progressing through the elimination rounds.
Erik's outlook towards the continental competition is superior to that of Peter Bosz, and it won't be surprising to see a restrained Ajax side at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on Tuesday night.
#1 Comparitively easier semi-final opponent
Ajax face a depleted Spurs side, with superstar Harry Kane nursing an ankle injury, having a slight chance of featuring in UCL finals if his side manages to qualify. Tottenham's unlikely hero, Moussa Sissoko, and Jan Vertonghen are doubtful for the first leg. The 29-year-old Frenchman's replacement, Eric Dier, has looked rusty due to his lengthy injury.
Mauricio Pochettino faces an acute shortage of midfielders due to an injury crisis. Harry Winks is in the long list of unavailable players, suffering a hip injury in the quarter-final tie against Manchester City. Shortage of players at a crucial stage of the could derail Spurs' season.
The Amsterdam outfit will face a weakened Tottenham team, and it presents a glorious chance for Ajax to qualify for the finals. With no disrespect to Tottenham Hotspur, the Holland side could have ended up with Liverpool or Barcelona as their opponents, and the European legacy of the Anfield or Camp Nou might have proved too much to handle for the young guns.
AFC Ajax won their last Champions League in 1995 under Louis van Gaal with the 'Golden Generation' comprising Patrick Kluivert, Clarence Seedorf, Frank Rijkaard, and many others. The players moved elsewhere to find success after their triumph at Ajax.
Frenkie de Jong has agreed to join Barcelona in the summer and skipper Matthijs De Ligt looks set to leave Johan Cruijff Arena too. The talented squad will be dismantled after the current campaign is concluded, and a CL victory could give them a tag of 'Golden Generation 2.0'.
This year's Champions League finishes in Madrid where Ajax's fairy-tale started by knocking out 13 times winner Real Madrid. The Royal Netherlands Football Association (KNVB) shifted an entire 33rd match-week scheduled on 28th April to 15th May to provide the players with optimum time for training and recovery before their trip to London.
All the efforts signal favours the Ajax group, and Amsterdam could be the new European football capital in 2019.
