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The Guardian - UK
The Guardian - UK
Sport
Bart Vlietstra

How Ajax went from Champions League overachievers to chaos

Borna Sosa; Marc Overmars; Daley Blind during Ajax's 6-1 defeat by Napoli in 2022
Borna Sosa; Marc Overmars; Daley Blind during Ajax's 6-1 defeat by Napoli in 2022. Composite: Guardian Picture Desk

It all started with a photograph of the private parts of a former player. No, this is not a piece about dressing-room “humour”. This is the story of the demise of Ajax, who in 2019 were seconds from the Champions League final and now sit 14th in the Eredivisie after the game at home against Feyenoord on Sunday was abandoned amid crowd trouble with the team 3-0 down.

The goal scored by Tottenham’s Lucas Moura in the last minute of injury time on 8 May 2019 shattered Ajax’s Champions League final dream then but there could be no doubting the Dutch club had overachieved. For a team from a league snubbed by oil sheikhs and big investors, and where TV money is a relative pittance, it was still a memorable evening and an unforgettable season.

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