Real Madrid was no fluke.
Juventus were played off the Johan Cruijff ArenA park. With an average age of just 24, this Ajax team are coming to their milk just about now but unfortunately, as is often the case with Holland’s most celebrated and mystical club, they won’t have too many more games all together.
So we better all have next Tuesday free.
The young aristocrats, the majority of them Dutch and homegrown but with some dazzling imports thrown into the mix, have brightened up this Champions League with their fast-moving, eye-catching and free-wheeling attacking play and next week, the majority of neutrals will be shouting them on at the Allianz stadium – just so they can have another look.
So what is it about these fresh faced ballers that even has Graeme Souness waxing?
Well there’s a freedom of expression about their play, the kind that makes youngsters want to play the game in the first place. From Dusan Tadic’s spiritual awakening against Real Madrid to David Neres’ abandon, balls and wild imagination against Juventus.
The young Brazilian – who arrived from Sao Paulo in 2016 for 12 million – is still only 21 but his goal just after half-time was a moment of magic that sums up everything Ajax.
Daring. Ambitious. Skilful. Explosive.
Ajax are level!
David Neres seconds into the 2nd half!!!
We've a game on now on Virgin Media One.#AjaxJuve #UCL #VMSport pic.twitter.com/3v8OTCGDgn
— Virgin Media Sport (@VMSportIE) April 10, 2019
And they’d keep it up all the way through the second, Erik Ten Hag’s modestly-paid gladiators reducing Juventus to the odd breakaway move and to complete second fiddles of this game, and doing all of that with smiles on their faces.
21-year-old Frankie De Jong was again, majestic while Hakim Ziyech was as dangerous as the Juventus back four did not want him to be.
What’s often lost about Ajax teams though is the hard edge they bring to the table. Substitue Jurgen Ekkelenkamp – who only turned 19 a week ago – showcased this will to win not long after he was introduced as a substitute.
With Cristiano Ronaldo starting to run, Ekkelenkamp had to do something. He was clever and explosive, he was quick and he was decisive.
Down with you, Ronaldo.
https://twitter.com/ajaxtimes/status/1116210865013972999
For a man that only has 30 minutes of Eredevisie first team football to his name – that’s fair going.
Afterwards, Graeme Souness summed it up.
“There’s no fear when they take to the pitch,” said the Scotsman on Virgin TV.
Whatever happens in Turin next week, @AFCAjax_EN have been a "breath of fresh air" to this competition.
⚪️🔴#Ajax #UCL #VMSport pic.twitter.com/WebdJutmwK
— Virgin Media Sport (@VMSportIE) April 10, 2019
We know who we’ll be shouting for in the second leg…
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