Fc Barcelona Vs Ajax Fc

Ajax
v
FC Barcelona
Amsterdam
ArenA,
Amsterdam
5 November
2014, 20:45
GMT
***
FC Barcelona
are currently
in disastrous run of form as they have
lost two games in a row and they will be
eager to come back to the winning ways
again when they face Ajax at
Amsterdam ArenA in their fourth game
of UEFA Champions League.
FC Barcelona made an excellent start
to their season under new boss Luis
Enrique but it now appears that the
team is struggling to maintain the
same level intensity. FC Barcelona
were convincingly beaten by Real
Madrid a fortnight ago at Santiago
Bernabeu. Their poor run continued
when they lost to Celta Vigo at their
own Camp Nou and the fans will be
hoping for the team to come back to
the winning ways in this crucial
fixture of Group F of UEFA
Champions League.
This is a must win game for Ajax
Amsterdam as they have earned only
two points from their first three
games so far and they will be out of
the Champions League if they lose
against FC Barcelona on Wednesday.
Team News and Tactics
Ajax
This is a must win game for Ajax and
coach Franc de Boer will be hoping
for a strong performance from his
inexperienced defenders as it has
become a biggest area of concern for
the Ducth champions in the new
season. Ajax have conceded 12 goals
in 11 games of Eredivisie so far.
Ajax have no option but to secure a
win against FC Barcelona on
Wednesday and Franc de Boer is
expected to start the game with his
usual 4-3-3 formation. Ajax head
into the match against FC Barcelona
on the back of two back-to-back
Eredivisie victories and coach De
Boer knows their opponents deserve
respect but urged his players not to
fear FC Barcelona.
Speaking to Dutch newspaper De
Telegraaf, De Boer said: “We need to
disturb as a team. We have to give
them no air to breathe.
“Two weeks ago we really had too
much fear of FC Barcelona. Respect is
allowed, but fear – of course – is not.
I would therefore also like to see
passion and confidence.
“Of course they have a lot of quality,
but against good teams you get space.
We should use that space well. Then
there are opportunities.”
Young midfield trio of Klaasen,
Zimling and Andersen has shown
some great promise this season and
they will hold the key for Ajax in this
do or die fixture against FC
Barcelona.

FC Barcelona
Striker Luis Suarez will make his
European debut for FC Barcelona
against his former employers Ajax on
Wednesday. Luis Suarez played for
Ajax till 2011, scoring 111 goals in
process.
FC Barcelona spend huge cash on
new signings like Jeremy Mathieu,
Luis Suarez, Thomas Varmaelen and
Claudio Bravo during the summer
transfer window but it now appears
that their defence is still not
improved while midfielders are also
struggling to control the tempo of the
games like they used to do it earlier.
The central defence is currently the
biggest area of concern for coach
Luis Enrique at the moment as
Gerard Pique is struggling for form
while Jeremy Mathieu is out injured.
Javier Mascherano will start the
game alongside Pique in absence of
Mathieu. Andres Iniesta will miss out
the game against Ajax due to calf
injury, while Sergi Roberto (groin)
and Thomas Vermaelen (thigh) are
also sidelined.
Another concern ahead of coach Luis
Enrique is his midfield. Ageing
maestro Xavi Hernandez is looking
ineffective while Andres Iniesta is
also struggling for a form since past
few games. Ivan Rakitic made a
promising start to his FC Barcelona
career and the coach is expected to
start the game against Ajax with him
in the midfield.
Lionel Messi has not scored in FC
Barcelona’s last two games but he
will be hoping to equal or beat the
record of Raul’s Champions League
goals by having a good game against
Ajax.
FC Barcelona currently sits second in
group F of Champions League and
this will be a crucial game for them if
they want to qualify for next round
as group winners. FC Barcelona have
lost two games in a row now and this
away game will be a big test for
them. And midfielder Sergio
Busquets stressed the importance of
this game in his pre-match press
conference.
Busquets said: “It’s only normal that
there’s some debate and for people to
analyse things through a magnifying
glass. When you lose you have to
improve because there are clearly
things you’re not getting quite right.
We are always self-critical, whether
we win or lose. We have keep
working to improve, there’s nothing
else we can do.”
Sergio Busquets also said that the
game with Ajax presents an ideal
opportunity to start making up lost
ground. “Hopefully we can put an
end to this poor run” he said. But he
also remembers their lost against
Ajax exactly a year ago. “They came
out strong and were all over us at the
start of the game. With the sending
off and our goal, everything changed.
I hope it doesn’t happen again.”
Predicted Starting XI (4-3-3): Ter
Stegen, Dani Alves, Pique,
Mascerano, Alba; Rakitic, Busquetes,
Xavi; Suarez, Messi, Neymar.
Player To Watch Out For
Lionel Messi
Lionel Messi has 69 Champions
League goals to his name and he just
needs 2 more goals to equal the
record of Raul Gonzalez.
Score Prediction
Ajax 1-2 FC Barcelona
FC Barcelona have struggled with
their form in recent games but they
are expected to come back strongly
against Dutch Champions Ajax at Amsterdam Arena.