A familiar adversary may be on the horizon for Ajax following the Dutch club’s decisive victory over Royale Union Saint-Gilloise in the Europa League.
The Amsterdam outfit secured a 2-0 win in Brussels on a muddy pitch that had previously faced criticism. Christian Rasmussen and Jorthy Mokio were the heroes of the night, netting goals in the second half. Back at home in Amsterdam, Ajax concluded the tie with a 2-1 defeat, their aggregate triumph standing at 3-2 after an extra-time goal clinched it.
Ajax last made it to the round of 16 in the UEFA Europa League during the 2020/21 season, where they triumphed over Swiss club Young Boys with a combined score of 5-0 across both legs. This season, the Dutch giants could come up against Bundesliga team Eintracht Frankfurt or former rivals Olympique Lyon in the upcoming phase of the European competition.
Ajax and Olympique Lyon boast a notable recent rivalry, highlighted by their semi-final clash in the 2016/17 Europa League season and group stage encounters in the 2011/12 UEFA Champions League. In a memorable 2017 semi-final, Ajax eliminated Lyon with a 4-1 victory in Amsterdam, despite conceding a 3-1 loss in the return leg in France. A brilliant chip from Kasper Dolberg paved the way for Ajax’s first European final appearance since the 1996/97 UEFA Champions League.
Champions League Drama
The Champions League group stage in 2011 didn’t stand out on its own; however, it caused quite a stir in the Netherlands on the final matchday. Having completed both fixtures against Lyon with goalless draws, Ajax found themselves on the brink of progressing after a stalemate in France, needing only a narrow loss to Real Madrid to remain in the competition, with Lyon on equal points but trailing on goal difference.
Despite suffering a 3-0 defeat to Real Madrid in Amsterdam, Ajax’s goal difference remained superior. Starting the day at +3 and finishing at 0, Lyon commenced with a -4 goal difference. Only a miraculous result could salvage the French side’s campaign, and that miracle arrived. Lyon, having scored a mere two goals throughout the group stage, overwhelmed Dinamo Zagreb with a stunning 7-1 victory, securing their passage to the round of 16 in the process.
A now-iconic image captured after a goal from Bafetimbi Gomis seemingly showed Dinamo Zagreb defender Domagoj Vida winking at Gomis before handing him the ball, earning Vida the moniker ‘Wink Croat’. Despite the controversy, UEFA opted not to investigate the suspicious sequence of events in Croatia, leaving many to question the integrity of the match.
The only other encounter between the two clubs occurred in 2002, when the three-time Champions League winners defeated Lyon in both legs during the 2002/03 UEFA Champions League group stage, with scores of 2-1 and 2-0.
In contrast to Olympique Lyon, Eintracht Frankfurt shares little to no history with Ajax, their sole meeting occurring in a friendly match back in August 2020.
The draw for the round of 16 in the UEFA Europa League is scheduled for Friday, February 21st at 13:00 CET in Nyon, Switzerland.
Compiled by SportArena.com.au.
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