[0762]

Great to see a young Ajax team deservedly winning 1-2 in Turin to qualify for the CL semi-final and how refreshing to see such a young side playing with no fear. BUT I recall about 24 years ago a young Ajax team beat Milan 1-0 in the Euro Cup final before they were raided!! Van der Saar, Reiziger, Rijkaard, Davids, the de Boer bros and others!! I wonder if the same thing will happen again!! i.e. the rich clubs buy out any lesser opponents whose fans become disillusioned and apathetic again after witnessing the potential rise of a great Euro side!! The price of success!?
Lastly, it is a pity that they have such a cretinous fan support within their fan base that takes away some of the "gloss" from their footie achievements!! They are now lined up to take on an English Premiership team, Spurs or Man City, and that is gonna prove to be one massive security risk with such high stakes "on the line"!! Certain fans carrying swords and machetes in Italy? Scary stuff that should not be associated with the sport of soccer!!

[St Charles Owl]

I’m sorry 0762 but you have gone too far this time!!! How can you end your post with the word “soccer”??? I have spent 20 years trying (and failing miserably) to not use that word over here, its football or footie!!

Back to the topic, yes their best players will be raided by the big teams across Europe, its really always been that way as soon as players started moving countries. If you remember the same happened to Monaco a few years ago when the likes of Mbappe were sold, that nearly relegated them if I remember correctly!! If contracts are still current then they may be able to hold out for one more year but I am sure they will demand big fees and there will be one team who will pay it.

As for their fans, the Dutch fans that follow their big teams abroad have always been trouble, even when the English fans were the poster boys of hooliganism the Dutch were probably even worse, they just didn’t get as much attention and the English took all the bans. One difference seems to be it is only when they follow their clubs that you see trouble, the Dutch national team fans seemed to be a different entity altogether.

[St Charles Owl]

So Spurs win an incredible game to beat Man City on away goals!!! Next up Ajax, after winning this tie I see no reason why Spurs shouldn't be able to beat Ajax, but I am sure RM and Juve thought the same thing. The way both those teams play it could be a cracking semi final.

The other Semi will see Liverpool play Barca, that is a seriously difficult one to call with both teams going well and having plenty of match winners in each team.

Personally would love a Spurs v Liverpool final but in reality any other combination is probably just as possible!!!

[turkeydinner]

Do you remember the Ajax side beaten by Man Utd in the UEFA cup? Again a really good side pulled apart by transferring their best players
Klaessen, Kluivert, Younes, Milik, Raidwald, Bazoer, Ramzi, Sanchez, Tete among those shifted and still they continue to get better and have already signed a replacement for De Jong

As I pointed out in another thread, the Dutch teams share all monies made from European payments with the rest of the league to keep it competitive, can you imagine that happening in the EPL?
Long may the conveyor belt of Dutch talent continue, might be more money in the UK but we definitely have a lot to learn

[0762]

So Spurs win an incredible game to beat Man City on away goals!!!  Next up Ajax, after winning this tie I see no reason why Spurs shouldn't be able to beat Ajax, but I am sure RM and Juve thought the same thing.  The way both those teams play it could be a cracking semi final.

The other Semi will see Liverpool play Barca, that is a seriously difficult one to call with both teams going well and having plenty of match winners in each team.

Personally would love a Spurs v Liverpool final but in reality any other combination is probably just as possible!!!

I must say categorically I do not want an all English club final as much as I never wanted to see an all Spanish one TBF!! I hope that does not happen and two footie clubs from different Euro countries contest this final. IMO Barca are actually strong favourites to win it with their talisman, Messi, "pulling the strings" and difficult to beat but it will be interesting particularly with Spurs playing Ajax without Son or Kane.

[hibeejim21]

Ajax are a better side than spurs IMO it's just a shame that team will be broken up and sold in the summer.

Fancy an Ajax v Barca final

[turkeydinner]

Excellent hard fought 1-0 win over Groningen yesterday

Veteran Klaas Jan Huntelaar scored a great goal a mix of power and technique, cracking season the 35 year old has had, old legs have been saved by exceptional positional play

Then he got sent off for absolutely steaming a back elbow into an opposition player, dare I say both that and the goal are well worth watching