Ajax vs Galatasaray

Johan Cruijff Arena is the venue as out-of-form Ajax and injury-hit Galatasaray go head-to-head in one of the standout Europa League final-day fixtures.

Ajax’s qualification for the Europa League playoffs is a virtual certainty despite three consecutive defeats heading into matchday eight. Indeed, a four-game unbeaten league-phase start (W3, D1) should be enough. However, the Lancers would ideally arrest their longest losing streak in this competition since 2017 and secure a seeded spot in the draw. Manager Francesco Farioli isn’t a stranger to facing Turkish clubs, considering he coached two Super Lig teams in his career, albeit without winning (D4, L1). Against this backdrop, Ajax’s record against Turkish opposition speaks volumes (W11, D1, L1). Upholding those impressive stats isn’t a foregone conclusion, considering they slumped to a dismal 1-0 defeat at RFS last week – their second loss ‘to nil’ in four competitive matches in 2025 (W2).

Meanwhile, dropping a two-goal cushion in a goal-glutted 3-3 home draw against Dynamo Kyiv in the penultimate round could cost Galatasaray dearly as they enter this contest a point adrift of the top eight. Therefore, anything other than a win in Amsterdam could condemn the Istanbul outfit to a playoff tussle. Confidence stems from the visitors’ incredible 26-game unbeaten streak across all competitions (W18, D8). However, there’s no room for complacency after Okan Buruk’s side drew their last three Europa League games. Two of those three matches saw them concede a first-half opener, highlighting their slow entries. Galatasaray must avoid another sluggish start to bolster their chances of defying an unenviable record against Dutch opposition in European football (W2, D1, L6).