Young Boys will be looking to make it to the quarter-finals as they square off against Dutch giants Ajax in the Europa League last 16 ties. The match schedules for Thursday at Johan Cruijff Arena, with a kickoff at 8:55 pm.
Ajax found the better part of Lille to advance to the next stage, while Young Boys surprised German outfit Bayer Leverkusen.
First off, the domestic home front for Ajax is nothing short of impressive, with a six-point lead in the Eredivisie during a spot in the finals of KNVB-Beker. It is a good run of form for Erik ten Hag for the Dutch giants.
However, two years later, after their impressive run in the Champions League, the main focus remains on getting a European trophy to top it off. Even though there was a disappointment after falling into the competition, there is an ideal chance to move closer to a second-half final in four years against Young Boys.
Sebastien Haller remains a big miss for the side but showed an impressive display in their win over Lille. Ajax is currently on a 19 unbeaten streak in all competitions, with their last defeat on December 9, to Atalanta.
Young Boys failed to record a win ever since their dramatic comeback against Leverkusen, with three successive draws registered in the Swiss top flight. However, they hold a 19-point advantage on the domestic front.
Ajax vs Young Boys Head to Head
Both sides are yet to meet at this stage of the competition. Here is a look at their previous encounters:
Home
Ajax 3-1 FC Groningen
Heerenveen 0-3 Ajax
PSV Eindhoven 1-1 Ajax
Ajax 1-1 Ajax
Ajax 2-1 Lille
Away
Young Boys 1-1 FC Vaduz
FC Basel 1-1 Young Boys
FC Luzern 2-2 Young Boys
Bayer Leverkusen 0-2 Young Boys
Young Boys 2-0 Servette
Ajax Team News
Haller remains ineligible to participate in the competition; thus, David Neres could be introduced into the starting lineup. It gives Dusan Tadic a chance to start in the middle. Nicolas Tagfliaco should feature at left-back, proving his fitness at the weekend.
Young Boys Team News
Young Boys face a major injury bow with goalkeeper David von Ballmoos suffering a concussion. It should result in newbie goalkeeper Guillaume Favre handed a start. Meschack Elia could come back into the starting lineup to replace Marvin Spielman.
Prediction and Odds
After edging out Leverkusen, Ajax will have to commend the respect their opponents need to win.
Ajax Win
Goals Over 2.5
Both Teams to Score
