Champions Cup final reloaded
The Champions League offers a glimpse into the past. The finalists from 1971 will meet in the upcoming duel. Will there be a rematch? According to most betting providers, Panathinaikos Athens and Ajax Amsterdam are a tip for soccer fans, but only to a limited extent for clear announcements. The gaps are extremely small
The game might actually be a bit of a “remake” of the former final. Ajax like to play in a very Dutch way, while the Cloverleaves tend to adopt a more wait-and-see approach. But there is always entertainment to be had at both ends of the pitch in both camps
If recent performances are anything to go by, it will be a duel on a knife-edge. Over the last five games, the score is 12:15 on points. Both have come through their first competitive matches with flying colors, which is probably why the odds on Panathinaikos Athens and Ajax Amsterdam are surprisingly close
Panathinaikos Athens – Statistics & current form
The cloverleaf wants to return to Europe. After the narrow failures of recent years, this time they are aiming for the big time
All new in green, once again
The cloverleaf has changed a lot over the summer. After repeatedly missing its stated targets in recent years, there was a quick-fire move at Leoforos last winter. Fatih Terim was not just a big name, but another big disappointment.
Despite the narrow cup success, there is now a new manager in Diego Martinez. With his favored 4-2-3-1, he is once again closer to the plan of Terim’s popular predecessor. This has made PAO acceptable again for the first time in years. Now the development is set to spread to Europe.
To this end, 30 transfers were made and a number of former regular players were released. The new guard should now achieve what the old one could not. But what is needed here is patience.
It is questionable whether the red and whites are not still a little too early on this path. According to the betting shops, Panathinaikos Athens v Ajax Amsterdam betting tip 2 is an almost more viable option
PAO is gradually getting better at both ends of the field
This insight is gained by looking at the Prasini’s results so far in preparation and competitive matches. The preparation was relatively short with four games against mediocre opposition.
This was followed by the two must-win games against Botev Plovdiv. These were both mastered relatively clearly with 2:1 and 4:0. After some teething problems in the first match, things went much better in the second.
The game changed only minimally. In both cases, they had a slight advantage on the ball (53 and 52%). What did improve noticeably, however, was both their access to the opposition and the number of chances they created.
If this upward trend continues, Panathinaikos Athens’ prediction of a home win against Ajax Amsterdam may yet come true.
Predicted line-up for Panathinaikos Athens:
Dragowski – Kotsiras, Ingason, Jedvaj, Mladenovic – Gnezda Cerin, Arao – Mancini, Bakasetas, Djuricic – Jeremejeff
Ajax Amsterdam – Statistics & current form
The proud Ajax have had a deep fall. Can things pick up again in the land of mythological origin?
New coach and old players
Although Ajax experienced a turbulent season last year with many construction sites in and around the team, much has remained the same. There were only three departures and seven arrivals in total. As is often the case in the Netherlands, the final result was a plus of over 20 million euros.
So the biggest story is probably the new coach. Francesco Farioli, one of the hottest coaching stocks in Europe, is coming to the Johann Cruyff Arena. The 35-year-old stands for a 4-3-3 with an offensive approach.
Alanyspor’s strong performances under his leadership earned him a place at Nice. He has now been released by them in the summer. He not only stands for high-scoring soccer, but above all has a good connection to young players. His team’s games so far give hope of a revival in Amsterdam
Better than the opponent step by step
A look at Amsterdam’s current season reveals a slight but noticeable improvement in the Red & Whites’ performances and results. After five tests, with one defeat and then four wins, the first two competitive matches also ended victoriously.
They opened with a 1:0 win against FK Vojvodina and then a relatively clear 3:1 away from home. 61% of the game was visually controlled in the first leg, but the Serbs were unable to take advantage of several set pieces, particularly on the counter-attack.
The second leg looked much more composed. Although they had less of the ball (49%), they had more real control of the game overall. So it will probably take a little time for them to find their balance in the game, but it could be a sign of things to come.
In any case, it probably explains why the odds for Panathinaikos Athens and Ajax Amsterdam are so close together and why goals appear to be good value.
Predicted Ajax Amsterdam line-up:
Pasveer – Rensch, Sutalo, Baas, Hato – Fitz-Jim, Henderson, Taylor – Rasmussen, Akpom, Forbs
Panathinaikos Athens – Ajax Amsterdam head-to-head / H2H result
The history of the duel is clearly colored in red and white. Six of the previous eight duels have gone to the Dutch side. However, the last meeting was a success for the Greens, albeit only in a test. This is probably why the odds for an away win for Panathinaikos Athens against Ajax Amsterdam are so close to those for a home victory
Panathinaikos Athens – Ajax Amsterdam betting tip
If both clubs stick to the script, the Dutch will play and the Greeks will react. How well that can be implemented remains to be seen. What is relatively likely, however, is a duel with goals. In both cases, there was something to see at both ends of the field
The forecast for Panathinaikos Athens vs Ajax Amsterdam is a draw. The odds for home and away success are noticeably close together. A bet on goals could be much easier on the nerves than a result tip or a handicap
