AEK Athens – FC Ajax SOCCER PICKS
A supposedly unequal duel seems to be in place when AEK Athens hosts Ajax Amsterdam on Tuesday night. The reigning Greek national champion, who is again in the group stage of the premier class for the first time since the 2006/07 season, has after four defeats from the first four games only outsider chances in third place. The Dutch runner-up, however, has four points ahead of this third place and would be in the Champions League for the first time in 13 years, if either Benfica missed the away win in Munich or this match is won in the Athens Olympic Stadium. But this is precisely what the Greeks want to prevent with all their might, in order to be able to play for the sixth matchday possibly still a final game for the winter in the Europa League against Benfica. Ironically, against the Portuguese delivered AEK his strongest ever match in the premier class and was able to equalize a 0-2 deficit, before it was at the end but then the 2: 3 defeat. The first leg in Amsterdam, however, clearly lost Athens 3-0.
In view of the large differences between the two teams, AEK Athens and Ajax Amsterdam are clearly in favor of the bookmakers’ four-time Champions League overall winners (1971, 1972, 1973 and 1995) from the Netherlands. Can the “God Zones” finally qualify for the knockout round? At least between AEK Athens and Ajax Amsterdam a tip should be hot on it.
AEK Athens:
This summer, the traditional club from Greece celebrated its twelfth national championship – the first in 24 years. After two narrow wins over Celtic Glasgow and Mol Vidi FC (each 3: 2 after two-leg play) in Champions Champions League qualifying so was the comeback in the premier class sure in Athens in five attempts never before the preliminary round has come out. However, it is already certain that there will be no Champions League football in the Olympiastadion so fast. AEK can not come in the top two teams and can only hope for the winter in the Europa League. And things are not going well in the Greek Super League either. Only 17 points brought “Énosis” from the first eleven league games, thus occupying a disappointing seventh place in the table. There are already 12 points behind leaders PAOK Salonika.
The international break did not bring the hoped-for change, because the dress rehearsal for the match against Ajax was lost on Saturday away at Underdog Panetolikos with 1: 2. It was after the 4-0 win at Underdog Apollon Larissa in the Greek Cup, the fourth competitive game in succession without a win (three defeats, a draw), in which Athens major shortcoming was once more the goal scoring. Thus, there is only one official goal for the reigning Greek national champion in the whole of November. Will Kitrinómavre get the switch over again?
Ajax Amsterdam:
Since the comeback in the Champions League for the Dutch runner-up, who was still a year and a half ago in the Europa League Final 2017, was much better. Although Ajax Amsterdam had to eliminate a number of opponents in qualifying, but mastered all tasks with flying colors and is still unbeaten in ten competitive matches in the Champions League season 2018/19 (six wins, four draws). Even more: In the 1-1 draw away at group head Bayern Munich, the four-time Champions League winner would have earned the triple even more than the German record champions. However, Ajax can still pass on Bayern on the sixth match day, when the Reds will be playing in the Amsterdam Johan Cruyff Arena.
In order to have the best possible starting position, the eleventh competitive match in the premier class should be successfully contested – optimally with another victory over AEK Athens, which could be cleared 3: 0 in the first leg. A victory in Greece would also be worth gold for the Champions League. In the group stage, there was finally the last time in the season 2011/12 an away win (2: 0 at Dinamo Zagreb). Since then, Ajax waiting for twelve games in foreign seats in the premier class on another threesome in the preliminary round (six draws and defeats).
