CHAMPIONS LEAGUE
Ajax vs Juventus confirmed team news: Champions League
All the team news regarding injuries, suspensions and predicted line-ups as Ajax and Juventus get ready to do battle in the Champions League quarter-final.
Two of European football’s classic teams - Holland’s Ajax and Italy’s Juventus go head to head this evening in Amsterdam with both hoping to clinch an advantage in the first leg of this Champions League quarter final tie.
(You can also follow all the action live online ahead of Manchester United vs Barcelona in tonight's other quarter-final.)
Juventus last lifted the trophy in 1996 and since then, they’ve made it to the final only to lose five times - ending as runners-up in 2017, 2015, 2003, 1998 and 1997. Four-time winners Ajax last got their hands on the trophy in 1995 and made the final the following year only to be defeated on penalties by… Juventus.
So this moment has been a long time coming for both clubs…
Ajax vs Juventus confirmed line-ups
Ajax XI: Onana; Veltman, De Light, Blind, Tagliafico; Schöne, De Jong; Van de Beek; Tadic.
Juvetnus XI: Szczesny, Pjanic, Ronaldo, Sandro, Matuidi, Mandzukic, Bonucci, Cancelo, Rugani, Bentacur, Bernardeschi.
Ajax vs Juventus: injuries and suspensions
Ajax’s Moroccan right-back Noussair Mazraoui is suspended and Joël Veltman will come in to fill the full-back slot. Juventus will be without Emre Can, who is nursing a sprained ankle and centre-back Giorgio Chiellini who missed the weekend meeting with AC Milan with a calf muscle sprain. Ronaldo will start, however, after a recent thigh injury.
Ajax vs Juventus: what the managers said
Erik ten Hag: “The team’s working well -everyone is attacking and everyone is defending; our have the tactical ability to do several different tasks. We reached a high level against Bayern Munich and Real Madrid, now Juve are going to test us to the limit”.
Massimiliano Allegri: “Cristiano has trained well with the team and he will start tomorrow night. I still haven’t decided on the midfield - either Sami Khedira or Rodrigo Bentancur will play,” said the Juve boss who is expecting “an open game”.