Ajax v Napoli
04 October 2000hrs
Football – Europe – Champions League
Pick Ajax AH0
Bookmaker bet365
Odds: 1.65 odds taken 1005 GMT, Monday 3rd October
Tuesday night brings us Matchday 3 of this season’s Champions League group stage and features the other fixture in Group A between Dutch Eredivisie side, Ajax, and their Italian Serie A counterparts, Napoli, at the Johan Cruyff Arena with the hosts looking to draw level on points with their opponents with a win, while Napoli will be keen to avoid defeat in order to maintain their place at the top of the group.
Table of Contents
Ajax Preview – Can Ajax make home advantage count?
Ajax certainly made home advantage count on Matchday 1 when they played host to Scottish side, Rangers, on the opening day of the group stage as the hosts recorded a comprehensive 4-0 victory over their opponents, and although they were handed a 2-1 loss away from Liverpool on Matchday 2, the Dutch side return to home surroundings for this upcoming clash.
With just two defeats out of their last 11 matches in all competitions, both of which were on their travels with the aforementioned defeat at Liverpool along with a 2-1 loss away at AZ in the Dutch Eredivisie, Ajax will still feel confident about their chances for Tuesday night’s game as the hosts have also picked up seven wins in the process as well.
Ajax have also lost just twice in their last 10 ties overall at Champions League level which includes a 1-0 loss at home to Benfica, but again, Ajax have collected seven wins amongst these 10 Champions League ties so they therefore stand a reasonable chance of gaining a result of some sort on Tuesday night at the Johan Cruyff Arena.
Ajax have won four out of their last five Champions League ties on home soil too, recording victories over Besiktas, Borussia Dortmund, Sporting Lisbon and Rangers while losing just once to Benfica, but the Dutch hosts have never played Napoli in any competitive match prior to Tuesday night.
Ajax manager, Alfred Schreuder, will be without Ahmetcan Kaplan with a cruciate ligament injury along with Jorge Sanchez (knee injury), while Mohamed Ihattaren is rated as extremely doubtful with fitness problems.
Napoli Preview – Can Napoli retain top spot?
Having won each of their last six matches in all competitions, Napoli will also be in a confident frame of mind as they prepare for this upcoming trip to the Johan Cruyff Arena against Ajax, no doubt keen to at least preserve their place at the top of Group A by avoiding defeat in Amsterdam on Tuesday night.
Napoli have made the perfect start to their Champions League group campaign as the Italians have posted back to back wins in their opening two games of the group stage with comprehensive wins against Liverpool 4-1 at home along with a 3-0 win on the road at Rangers on Matchday 2.
In addition, Napoli have also claimed wins on the domestic front in Serie A with victories picked up against Lazio, Spezia, AC Milan and Torino respectively, and so the hosts will be bringing in some impressive momentum into this Matchday 3 fixture in the Netherlands as they look to take another big step towards qualifying for the knockout rounds of the Champions League.
Napoli have lost just one of their last 10 Champions League ties overall which came in the form of a 3-1 loss away at Barcelona but the visitors have also picked up five wins during this period as well, but form and results away from home have continued to be unconvincing in recent times, with Napoli winning just twice in their last 11 outings on the road.
Wins at Salzburg and Rangers have been the only highlights in recent times for Napoli who have also slipped to five defeats as well, and having kept just three clean sheets as well on their travels during this period, there are no guarantees for a Napoli win away at Ajax on Tuesday night.
Napoli manager, Luciano Spalletti, is expected to be without Victor Osimhen with a muscle injury while Gianluca Gaetano is battling a virus and may miss out on Tuesday’s trip to Amsterdam.
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Ajax v Napoli
Key Facts – Ajax v Napoli Tip
- Ajax have lost just two of their last 10 ties overall in the Champions League
- Ajax have won 4 out of their last 5 Champions League ties on home soil
- Napoli have won just two of their last 11 outings on the road in Champions League
Given Napoli’s rather poor form and results away from home at Champions League level, Ajax with home advantage look to perhaps hold a slight edge for this upcoming fixture at their Johan Cruyff Arena, as the hosts have made themselves tough to beat in their own backyard in previous home ties.
The best betting odds for Ajax v Napoli
Ajax to win: 2.20 at bet365
Draw: 3.80 at bet365
Napoli to win: 3.00 at bet365
