Ajax vs Juventus: Old Lady could have too much nous
Ajax and Juventus have a long history of European Cup battles, including when meeting in the 1973 and 1996 finals, claiming one win apiece.
They clash again in this season’s Champions League quarter-finals and our preference is to side with the Old Lady of Turin, as proven recent performers at this level.
Punters can get 2.1 for the Bianconeri to prevail in the first leg in Amsterdam and that is rated a percentage pick for our initial Ajax vs Juventus prediction.
A Look At Ajax’s Betting Odds
Ajax have rekindled memories of their former glories this term, ending Real Madrid’s bid for a fourth straight triumph at the last-16 stage.
Many observers felt the Dutch outfit were the better team when beaten 2-1 by the Whites in Holland and those views ultimately proved justified.
Former Southampton playmaker Dusan Tadic put in a terrific display as Ajax romped to a 4-1 success in the return fixture at the Bernabeu.
He scored the third goal and was a constant threat as Hakim Ziyech, David Neres and Lasse Schone also netted in a performance full of energy.
However, it has to be said that Real have been out of sorts on a number of occasions this season and seemed in disarray that night, with Santiago Scolari sacked soon after.
The value of Ajax’s group-stage draws with Bayern Munich is also questionable, with the German giants looking well past their sell-by date when subsequently knocked out by Liverpool.
Mark van Bommel’s men have netted 12 times in three straight domestic victories, including a 3-1 triumph over PSV, but they did concede in each game and can lack defensive discipline.
Looking at the Ajax vs Juventus odds, we feel 3.96 for an away win and over 2.5 goals in the game is another tempting option.
A Look At Juventus’ Betting Odds
Juventus were a bit patchy during the pool stage, but did enjoy a couple of cracking away victories at Valencia and Manchester United, so there is no fear of them suffering from travel sickness.
Massimiliano Allegri’s men were left with a mountain to climb after losing 2-0 in a high-quality contest at Atletico Madrid in the first knockout round.
However, the Italian giants paid out big bucks to bring in Cristiano Ronaldo last summer to aid their quest for this prize and cometh the hour, cometh the five-time Ballon d’Or hero.
Belying his advancing age, the 34-year-old fired in a hat-trick which kept alive hopes of reaching a third final in five years.
Adding such a tremendous talisman to a team already rich in European pedigree makes Juve daunting opposition for a fresh-faced outfit like Ajax.
Let’s finish off our Ajax vs Juventus betting tips by taking 2.51 for a 2-1 away victory.
Ronaldo has missed three Serie A games since picking up a slight injury playing for Portugal in the international break but Allegri is “confident” he will be fit here.
In his absence, Juve have claimed a hat-trick of victories, including Saturday’s 2-1 defeat of AC Milan, to close in on an eighth consecutive title.
Source: Bwin