Juventus v Ajax Betting Tips: Can Ajax really do it again?
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Odds and preview ahead of Champions League clash
A Champions League semi-final is on the line in Turin tonight with the tie poised at one-apiece.
Juventus were outplayed for much of the first-leg in Amsterdam, but they showed in the last round against Atletico Madrid that they are a different beast at home.
But Ajax will take heart from their last-sixteen win over Real Madrid and simply can’t be ruled out.
You can watch all the action live from 8:00pm on BT Sport 3…
Head-to-Head
David Neres cancelled out a first-half effort from Cristiano Ronaldo in the first-leg to leave the tie at 1-1.
The pair’s last meeting came in the Europa League knock-outs back in 2010. After a 0-0 draw in Turin, Juventus striker Amauri scored a brace as the Italian side went through 2-1 on aggregate.
Will Juve do the business in the Netherlands again?
Likely XIs
Juventus: Szczesny; Cancelo, Bonucci, Rugani, Sandro; Bentancur, Pjanic, Matuidi, Bernadeschi, Mandzukic, Ronaldo
Ajax: Onana; Veltman, De Ligt, Blind, Sinkgraven; De Jong, Schone, Ziyech, Van de Beek, Neres, Tadic
All the pre-match talk has been around the availability of Ajax lynchpin Frenkie de Jong. The 21-year-old suffered a midweek hamstring scare but will be desperate to make the starting line-up.
Nicolas Tagliafico will miss the game through suspension, so Erik ten Hag will have to decide if he fields Noussair Mazraoui or Daley Sinkgraven at full-back.
As for Juventus, they could field young striker Moise Kean up front after bagging six goals in eight Serie A appearances this season.
It will be telling if the 19-year-old does get in ahead of the experienced Mario Mandzukic. Douglas Costa is fighting to be fit, but could be well enough for a cameo from the substitutes bench.
Key Battles
In the clutch moments, there’s only one man that stands out from the 22 that take the field tonight. Cristiano Ronaldo comes up with crucial goals time and time again.
See, the devastating hat-trick in the 3-2 aggregate win over Atletico last round for instance.
Ten Hag has said they won’t man mark the five-time Ballon d’Or winner, but it’ll be hard to stop him. Full stop.
He will face an Ajax defence that has the highly-promising Mathijs de Ligt and former Manchester United man Daley Blind.
Whoever comes out on top will go a long way to deciding this tie.
Match Odds
We make Juventus 8/11 favourites to win the match and advance to the semi-final.
There could be goals in this one and you can find a home win with both teams to score at 5/2.
Ajax have been the underdog story of the competition this season, but they have really found their groove.
This one could go right to the wire, and we go Juventus to win in extra-time at 16/1.
Ronaldo to open the scoring again is 5/2, while Kean to notch anytime is 13/8.
View the latest Juventus v Ajax odds at Coral.
All Odds and Markets are correct as of the date of publishing
