Ajax vs. AC Milan Champions League Preview Amsterdam ArenA – Amsterdam Holland 2:45 PM EST Tuesday September 28, 2010
by Jason Green at Predictem.com
Betting Odds: Ajax 2.75/AC Milan 2.55
Over/Under Total: 2.5 goals
Moneyline: Ajax +155 / AC Milan +180 Draw +215
Find the best betting odds for this game at the web’s BEST online soccer bookmaker: 5Dimes.
In the second match in the Champions League Group G on Tuesday night Ajax hosts AC Milan. Group G is one of the tougher groups with Real Madrid, these 2 teams, and Auxerre and if Ajax loses this match it will be a major uphill battle to make it out of the group since they lost their first group match.
Ajax lost to Real Madrid in their first group match while AC Milan beat Auxerre.
AC Milan is back in the Champions League and they have high hopes for this season. They won their opening group match as well as winning their last match this weekend in Italy Serie A.
These 2 teams are very storied clubs with a total of 11 European trophies between them. Ajax has not been a very strong club for the past few years while AC Milan has also had their problems. Ajax has looked great this season so far even though they lost their opening Champions League match. In the Netherlands Eredivisie league they are in first place and they have played great on both sides of the pitch scoring 20 goals in 7 matches and only allowing 7.
Ajax is tough to beat at home and they have yet to lose a match at Amsterdam ArenA this season (16 wins 1 draw).
While AC Milan has a good defense only allowing 4 goals in 5 Serie A matches their offense has struggled only scoring 7 goals.
Ajax Recent Form:
9/25/2010 Twente 2 Ajax 2 (Eredivisie League)
9/19/2010 Feyenoord 1 Ajax (Eredivisie League)
9/15/2010 Real Madrid 2 Ajax 0 (Champions League)
9/11/2010 Ajax 2 Willem II 0 (Eredivisie League)
8/29/2010 De Graafschap 0 Ajax 5 (Eredivisie League)
AC Milan Recent Form:
9/25/2010 AC Milan 1 Genoa 0 (Serie A)
9/22/2010 Lazio 1 AC Milan 1 (Serie A)
9/18/2010 AC Milan 1 Catania 1 (Serie A)
9/15/2010 AC Milan 2 Auxerre 0 (Champions League)
9/11/2010 Cesena 2 AC Milan 0 (Serie A)
Zlatan Ibrahimovic is the main offensive weapon for AC Milan and he was the hero in their last game against Genoa scoring the only goal of the match. Sportsbooks have him at 11/2 for score the first goal, but it will not be easy against a stingy Ajax defense led by stud G Maarten Stekelenburg.
Stekelenburg only allowed 2 goals playing at Real Madrid in the last Champions League match and he has been solid in goal all season long. Milan is not a high scoring team, as in their last 10 matches they have gone Under 2.5 goals 7 times.
AC Milan has the offensive players of Alexandre Pato, Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Ronaldinho and Robinho, but Pato is recently coming off being injured and will likely be used as a substitution against Ajax. The Ajax defense will key on Ibrahimovic so the other strikers for AC Milan will have to step up in this match.
Uruguayan F Luis Suarez has been solid up front for the Dutch squad this season and while he is at 13/2 to score the first goal he will no so against a solid AC Milan defense.
Ajax F Mounir El Hamdaoui who along with Suarez has 12 of the teams 20 goals this season will have to push forward and pressure the Milan defense in this match.
The old guys of Alessandro Nesta, Filippo Inzaghi and Andrea Pirlo lead Milan and these 3 will have to play well in the midfield and especially watch out for the Ajax counter-attack.
Look for Maarten Stekelenburg to have a great match, but he will not keep a clean sheet.
Jason’s Pick to Win: This is a very tough one to call, as AC Milan is very unpredictable and even though Ajax is so solid at home they have not beat an Italian club there is their last 6 matches. I look for that trend to continue, as AC Milan has a ton of players with big match experience, as they will win by a score of 1-0 or 2-1.
