UEFA Champions League Semi-Final 2nd Leg Preview – Ajax vs Tottenham, Wednesday 8th May 2019

With Liverpool managing an Anfield miracle, can Tottenham follow suit and axe Ajax, at 8pm on BT Sport 2?

On paper the task facing Spurs on Wednesday night is so much easier than what the Reds had to do on Tuesday. Whereas Jurgen Klopp’s title-chasers had to overcome a 3-0 deficit against already-confirmed La Liga champions Barcelona – a side fuelled by their diminutive magician Lionel Messi – Tottenham merely have to wipe away a 1-0 defeat against a team that entered the Champions League in the 2nd round of qualifying.

But things aren’t that simple. At the top of the Eredivise thanks to a superior goal difference with 2 games to go, Ajax have been this season’s surprise package in Europe. At almost every stage of the competition they’ve been underdogs. Yet they twice held Bayern Munich in Group E, beat Real Madrid 4-1 at the Bernabeu, and bested Juventus 2-1 in Turin.

That superlative form outside of Amsterdam carried over into last Wednesday’s trip to Tottenham’s new stadium. Donny van de Beek’s early strike gifted Ajax a potentially crucial away goal, meaning Spurs at least need to score at least twice if they are to avoid extra time and penalties to create an all-English final (the first since 2008).

While still missing the injured Harry Kane, Mauricio Pochettino does have a returning Son Heung-min, back after missing the 1st leg due to suspension. On 20 goals in all competitions, the South Korean is at a Super Mega PGM of 27-32, ahead of Fernando Llorente at 22-27.

Super Serb Dusan Tadic has both men beat, however; on 34 goals, he goes into the 2nd leg at a Super Mega PGM of 33-39. Klaas-Jan Huntelar is only a smidge behind at 32-38 having found the back of the net 21 times.

The visitors aren’t in the best headspace at the moment. Including that 1st leg defeat and Saturday’s loss at Bournemouth, Spurs have won just 6 times in their last 15 fixtures; Ajax, in contrast, have lost only 4 competitive games in 2019, and once in the Champions League full stop (their sole home defeat of the season).

The odds are, then, perhaps stacked against the North Londoners, with Spreadex offering an Ajax/Tottenham Goal Supremacy spread of 0.1-0.3, alongside a Total Goals spread of 2.9-3.1 and a Bookings spread of 50-54.