Ajax, a strong contender in the Europa League, is living up to expectations so far. Currently sitting in 6th place, the Amsterdam club is tied on points with the 9th-ranked team, which will need to play in the playoffs.
Ajax has remained unbeaten in their first four games, earning a 1-1 draw at Slavia Prague and dominating their other matches, with a 4-0 win over Besiktas, a 3-0 victory against Qarabag, and a 5-0 thrashing of Maccabi Tel Aviv.
However, they were defeated 2-0 by Real Sociedad two weeks ago. Domestically, Ajax is pursuing PSV at the top of the Eredivisie and has gone 12 matches without a loss. This weekend, they will face Alkmaar.
Lazio, another top team in the Europa League, leads the group, with a three-point advantage over Ajax. The Italian side won their first four games, with victories over Dynamo Kyiv (3-0), Nice (4-1), Twente (2-0), and Porto (2-1). They were held to a 0-0 draw by Ludogorets in their most recent match.
Lazio is also in contention for Champions League qualification, sitting in 5th place in Serie A. After a streak of five consecutive wins, they suffered a 3-1 loss to Parma and will play Napoli this weekend.
Ajax will be without several key players for this match, including attackers Brobbey, Godts, and Rijkhoff, along with long-term absentees like defender Avila, midfielder Mannsverk, and forward van Axel Dongen.
Despite these injuries, Ajax has reliable players such as striker Weghorst (5 goals in the Eredivisie), winger Bertrand Traoré (4 goals and 2 assists), and midfielder Klaassen (6 goals). Midfielders Henderson and Taylor (3 goals in C3) are also expected to start. Lazio will also miss midfielders Castrovilli and Vecino.
On a positive note, left-back Nuno Tavares, who missed the last Europa League match, has returned. Lazio’s midfield is expected to feature Guendouzi and Rovella, while forwards Zaccagni, Dia (2 goals in C3), and Castellanos (2 goals in C3) will be available, alongside experienced winger Pedro (3 goals and 2 assists in C3).
Prediction
Both teams are known for their solid defensive play, with Ajax seeing 18 of their last 20 Europa League matches end with three or fewer goals. Similarly, 19 of Lazio’s last 20 Europa League games have had under 3 goals. Based on these patterns, a low-scoring draw is expected when these two teams meet.
Prediction: Ajax 1-1 Lazio.
