Preview: AFC Ajax | OneFootball

Eintracht face AFC Ajax for the first time in a competitive fixture when they travel to Amsterdam for the first leg of their UEFA Europa League last-16 tie.

The backdrop

“We want to be brave in Amsterdam and score goals,” said Nathaniel Brown as Eintracht Frankfurt prepare to travel to the Netherlands for the first leg of their UEFA Europa League last-16 tie with AFC Ajax. The Dutch giants head into Thursday’s meeting in excellent form, having beaten Almere City 1-0 away from home on Sunday to consolidate their place at the Eredivisie summit.

‘We’re looking forward to the game’ “We’re facing a very, very good team who are top of the Dutch league,” board member for sport Markus Krösche said in the immediate aftermath of the last-16 draw in Nyon. “They’re tough opponents, but that’s how it is in the knockout stage. We’re looking forward to a game between two good sides and want to take the next step and reach the quarter-finals.”

Dino Toppmöller’s side, who qualified automatically for the last 16 after finishing fifth in the league phase, will hope to complete the first part of that assignment at the Johan Cruijff ArenA on Thursday. The omens are good for Eintracht, who have triumphed in six of their previous eight last-16 ties in major European competition.

Kristensen’s old stomping ground

Frankfurt’s Danish defender Rasmus Kristensen can look forward to facing his former club on his old stomping ground, having played for Ajax from January 2018 until summer 2019. A league and cup double winner in Amsterdam, Kristensen has already faced two of his former sides in the Europa League this season in FC Midtjylland – where he spent time as a youngster – and AS Roma at the end of the league phase. Mario Götze is another player who knows all about the so-called Godenzonen (Sons of the Gods), having faced them seven times as a Borussia Dortmund and PSV Eindhoven player, triumphing on four occasions.