Ajax host AZ Alkmaar at the Johan Cruyff Arena on Saturday in a potentially pivotal game for both sides.

The two clubs are still chasing the final Champions League spot in the Eredivisie and will need a win to stay in touch.

Match preview

Ajax come into the fixture off the back of a disastrous week though, which has left them staring down the barrel of a trophyless season without Champions League qualification.

They lost second place in the Eredivisie to PSV Eindhoven two weeks ago by losing 3-0 in De Topper, before losing the KNVB Beker final to the same opponents on penalties last weekend.

With AZ to come next, as well as clashes with Twente and Utrecht, Ajax's run in looks much tougher as they try to claw back the three-point gap PSV have opened up in second.

Defeat in this encounter would see them slip back into the Europa Conference League spot too, as AZ are just two points behind them.

Ultimately, their run of seven games without a win in the league either side of the World Cup has had a devastating impact, because despite an upturn since Johnny Heitinga came in as manager, the task has been just too much to recover from.

For the first time since 2008-09, Ajax could realistically finish with fewer than 70 points - the last occasion they finished outside the top two.

A win for Ajax though would almost certainly finish off AZ's league season.

Defeat would leave Pascal Jansen's side five points behind Ajax, and potentially eight behind PSV in the Champions League position.

With a Europa Conference League semi-final tie with West Ham United to come, the prospect of a trophy and a higher level European competition next season may then become the sole focus.

They still need to ensure they keep Sparta Rotterdam at arms length though behind them, to avoid having to play in the Eredivisie's Europa Conference League playoffs.

There would need to be a miraculous finish for Sparta to catch them, as they enter the weekend seven points adrift, but AZ still have to face Ajax and PSV along with the European distraction.

Despite the fairytale run in Europe which has included a win at Lazio and overturning a two-goal deficit to beat Anderlecht in the quarter-finals, AZ's capitulation in the league will be looked back on as disappointing.

They looked the most likely side to finish second behind Feyenoord, but a disastrous three-game run around the international break in March saw them take just one point from games against Twente, Heerenveen and Sparta, as Ajax and PSV took advantage to leapfrog them.

Team News

Ajax will monitor the fitness of Mohammed Kudus ahead of this clash, with the Ghanaian doubtful after missing the last four games with a muscular issue.

Devyne Rensch returned after a six-game absence to feature off the bench in the cup final last weekend, and could replace Jorge Sanchez in the starting XI.

Kian Fitz-Jim is out with an ankle injury, while Ahmetcan Kaplan is close to returning after a lengthy layoff.

Vangelis Pavlidis could miss out again for AZ after picking up an injury shortly after his first-half heroics against Anderlecht in Europe.

Losing their top scorer would be a big miss, as they may opt to keep him ready for the clash with West Ham next week.

Jansen could be able to call upon three players who are all due to return from injury in the near future though.

Bruno Martins Indi, who has played just four times this season, could soon return from a hip injury and Dani De Wit may follow suit having not featured since January with a foot injury.

The influential Jesper Karlsson was rushed back too soon from a recent injury and has not played since their first leg loss to Anderlecht, but he could also be back in time for the West Ham clash.

Ajax possible starting lineup:
Rulli; Rensch, Timber, Alvarez, Hato; Grillitsch, Klaassen, Tadic; Berghuis, Brobbey, Bergwijn

AZ Alkmaar possible starting lineup:
Ryan; Sugawara, Beukema, Chatzidiakos, Kerkez; Reijnders, Mijnans, Clasie; Lahdo, Odgaard, Van Brederode

We say: Ajax 3-1 AZ Alkmaar

Ajax will be determined to catch PSV again after a harrowing week at the hands of their rivals and could capitalise on AZ's eye potentially being elsewhere.

Jansen's job to keep his side's focus firmly on this game and not West Ham will be important, but going to Amsterdam is often a tough task at the best of times, and injuries may scupper their chances.


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