Ajax can seal the top spot in their Champions League group when they face Besiktas in Turkey on Wednesday evening. The kick-off is at 17.45.
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It has been an excellent Champions League campaign for Ajax so far with Erik ten Hag’s side winning four games out of four, including the 3-1 win in Dortmund earlier this month that sealed a place in the last 16 of the tournament.
Top spot in the group is not yet certain but that can be sealed on Wednesday when Ajax faces Besiktas, who have lost all four of their matches so far.
Ajax warmed up for the clash with a comfortable 5-0 win over RKC Waalwijk which kept the club sitting top of the Eredivisie on goal difference ahead of PSV Eindhoven.
Besiktas are having a bad season, with the weekend 2-0 loss at Alanyaspor leaving the club sitting ninth in the league. The Turkish side is already out of the Champions League and are mainly playing for pride.
Team News
Ajax will be without the suspended Edson Alvarez in Turkey, while Mohamed Kudus is out injured. Ten Hag needs to decide whether to move Daley Blind into midfield or go with Davy Klaassen.
Possible Ajax line-up: Pasveer, Mazraoui, Tagliafico, Martinez, Timber, Blind, Gravenberch, Berghuis, Tadic, Antony, Haller
Besiktas will be without the suspended Josef Da Souza, while Michy Batshuayi is out injured. Miralem Pjanic and former PSV Eindhoven star Atiba Hutchinson should start.
Possible Besiktas line-up: Destanoglu; Rosier, Welinton, Vida, Yilmaz; Pjanic, Ucan, Hutchinson; Ghezzal, Larin, N’Koudou
Odds
Besiktas 13/2 Draw 17/4 Ajax 4/11
Ajax need to keep the confidence going
Besiktas are looking a poor side at the moment and Wednesday is an excellent chance for Ajax to make it 5 wins out of 5.
Top spot is all but secured for Ajax but another win would keep the confidence rolling in Ten Hag’s side. Ajax looked good in the attack at the weekend, and the likes of Haller, Antony, and Tadic will cause Besiktas a lot of problems.
A win may not have big consequences for the group but it will be more points for the Dutch coefficient, which is booming at the moment.
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