"Manchester United" - "Ajax": who will get the ticket to the Champions League? (review)

2017-05-24 10:53

Already tonight in Stockholm's "Friends" arena, the UEFA Europa League final will be played, where after a long journey, "Manchester United" and Amsterdam "Ajax" clubs have reached. Both teams started their journey in the group stage of this tournament, so in order to reach the decisive stage, it took not only skill, but also the will and effort. "Man United's" Road to the Final The English club competed in Group A against Istanbul "Fenerbahce", Rotterdam "Feyenoord" and Luhansk "Zorya". Despite acquiring several talented footballers, including the most expensive signing of all time, Paul Pogba, "The Red Devils" did not have an easy path. In the six matches they played, they suffered two defeats - one against Dutch and Turkish clubs - and ultimately finished only in second place. This is why the "Man United" boys had to face the challenge of the first-placed team from Group C in the round of 16, "Saint-Etienne". Nevertheless, Jose Mourinho's pupils played confidently and advanced to the next stage by not conceding a single goal in two matches. Here the English team faced the Russian wonder "Rostov", where things didn't go as smoothly. In the first leg, they only managed a 1-1 draw as visitors. Manchester's eleven ultimately triumphed once again due to their excellent defense, securing a home victory with the only Juan Mata goal. Next was the quarterfinals against Brussels' "Anderlecht", where the situation was almost the same. The first match in Belgium ended in a 1-1 draw, so everything had to be decided on the "Old Trafford" pitch. However, an extension was needed, but the "Red Devils" ultimately secured victory with a late goal from Marcus Rashford. Manchester United fans could not watch the semifinal calmly either. In Spain against "Celta", Mourinho's men defended well as usual against the opponents' attacks, and Marcus Rashford's penalty goal gave them the advantage, but at home, a significant threat emerged. This time, after Sebastian Roncaglia's goal in the 85th minute, the second leg ended in a 1-1 draw, with the guests close to scoring a second goal. Ajax's Road to the Final In the group stages, the Dutch representatives did better - they won four games and finished at the top of Group G, leaving "Celta", Liege "Standard" and Athens "Panathinaikos" behind. In the first round of knockout stages, Peter Bosz's pupils had to face Warsaw's "Legia", which was certainly not a very serious opponent. However, the match in Poland ended goalless, and at home, "Ajax" only advanced to the next stage with a lone goal from defender Nick Viergever. Even tougher for Ajax's players was the round of 16, where they lost 2-1 away to "Copenhagen", but "Ajax" recovered here as well, winning 2-0 in front of their own fans. In the quarterfinals, they had to witness extra time and a goal fiesta against Gelsenkirchen's "Schalke". "Ajax" started this stage of the tournament by defeating the Germans 2-0 at home, but the result was turned upside down in the away match, with Joel Veltman being sent off in the 80th minute. During extra time, Daniel Caligiuri scored, and it seemed that "Ajax's" days in the Europa League were numbered. However, the young Dutchmen found strength within themselves to fight back, with Viergever scoring a crucial goal. Moreover, Amin Younes managed to bury another nail in the coffin of the "Schalke" team. Ajax's performance against the Germans was truly impressive, but they trounced the "Lyon" club 4-1 in the first leg of the semifinal. However, a different scene emerged in the matches in France, where at the end of regular time, the opponents led 3-1, and the Dutch played a man down. Nonetheless, they managed to hold on, and striker Kasper Dolberg, who scored the only goal, can be proud of leading his team to the final. National Championship In the "Premier" league, "Manchester United's" footballers finished sixth, so next year we will definitely see them playing in at least the UEFA Europa League. However, the "Red Devils" could have confidently battled for a place in the top four, but injuries and player fatigue forced Jose Mourinho to sacrifice national championships in favor of international results. It is worth noting that "Man United" conceded only 29 goals in 38 matches and were the second-best defensive team in England. Meanwhile, in the final round of the "Eredivisie", Ajax fielded the youngest eleven in league history. With a 3-1 result, they beat "Willem II", but Peter Bosz's squad ultimately had to settle for silver. This means that the Dutch will start the next season at least in the Champions League qualifiers, so the pressure on them will be significantly lower. In Ajax's case, their defense should be highlighted - with 23 goals conceded in 34 matches, this club was the best in the Netherlands, but they were still 79 goals behind the champions, "Feyenoord". Team Leaders Without a doubt, all eyes in "Man United's" ranks will be on Paul Pogba. The Frenchman is second in appearances and has contributed to a total of eight goals and assists in 50 matches. Another important figure is Marcus Rashford, who has played 52 matches. The youngster should start the attack, as the burden in the forward line will fall squarely on him in the absence of the injured Zlatan Ibrahimovic. So far, he has scored only 11 goals, but many of them came at crucial moments. In the final, winning the battle in the midfield will be crucial, so along with Pogba, the outcome of the match may also depend on Ander Herrera and Henrikh Mkhitaryan. While the latter plays more up front, his contribution to constructing the attack is equally important, with 10 goals and five assists speaking for themselves. Herrera, on the other hand, has made 11 assists this season. In the Ajax ranks, attacking midfielders will also play a key role, as main defender Nick Viergever will be absent due to a red card. The most important man in midfield is Davy Klaassen, who has scored 20 goals and provided 12 assists for his teammates out of 49 matches. Attention should also be paid to another excellent creator, Hakim Ziyech, who has 10 goals and 19 assists to his name and can also attack from the wing. On the other hand, the defensive edges of "Man United" should be feared by Chelsea's Bertrand Traore and Amin Younes who has shone in crucial moments in the Europa League. Finally, we cannot forget the main striker Kasper Dolberg, who is the most prolific scorer at Ajax with 23 goals. Injuries and Suspensions Ajax's players will have a clear advantage here, as "Manchester United" is currently treating injuries of Ibrahimovic, defenders Marcos Rojo and Luke Shaw, full-back Ashley Young, and another central defender Eric Bailly is suspended. Marouane Fellaini, who injured his hamstring, and Chris Smalling, who suffered a collarbone injury, trained with the team, but did not play in the "Premier" league clash against Crystal Palace. The situation with Pogba's replacement for the mentioned match is not completely clear. In Ajax's team, only Viergever will be absent, and left-back Daley Sinkgraven, who is recovering from an injury, may not have enough time to fully recover. Predicted Starting Lineups "Manchester United": Sergio Romero, Matteo Darmian, Daley Blind, Phil Jones, Antonio Valencia, Marouane Fellaini, Ander Herrera, Paul Pogba, Henrikh Mkhitaryan, Jesse Lingard, Marcus Rashford. "Ajax": Andre Onana, Daley Sinkgraven, Mathijs De Ligt, Davinson Sanchez, Joel Veltman, Hakim Ziyech, Lasse Schone, Davy Klaassen, Amin Younes, Bertrand Traore, Kasper Dolberg.