With Roma returning to Europa League action when they head to Amsterdam and take on Ajax this Thursday (kick-off: 21:00 CEST), we have all the pre-match preamble you need.

AJAX

League position: 1st in Eredivisie
Head coach: Erik ten Hag
European top-scorer: Dusan Tadic (5)

RECENT FORM

Ajax: W W W W W
Roma: W L W L D

Ajax retained their 11-point Eredivisie lead courtesy of a come-from-behind 2-1 win at Heerenveen on Sunday, extending their current winning run to seven games in all competitions.

The Dutch side haven’t lost in 24 games (W21, D3) since Roma’s domestic rivals Atalanta earned a 1-0 Champions League group stage win at the Johan Cruijff ArenA back in December.

As for the Giallorossi, their league form has suffered recently to leave them without a victory in their last three in Serie A (D1, L2), but they have lost just one of their last six away from home in all competitions (W3, D2, L1).

They have also been superb in Europe this term, with four wins from four in the UEL knockouts thus far and eight wins from their 10 continental fixtures in 2020-21 (W8, D1, L1).

DANGER MAN
Dusan Tadic

The Ajax captain has been immense in all competitions for his side this season, scoring 22 goals and laying on a further 19 assists.

That means he has been involved in 41 goals in 41 appearances, to keep the Godenzonen in contention across all three fronts.

Tadic has scored four in his last five in the league, where he tends to operate from the left and scored in three of Ajax’s four knockout matches to reach this stage of the Europa League.

In Europe, the 32-year-old largely leads the attack in a false nine position, while flanked by Brazilian’s Antony and David Neres in what is a fluid front three that will pose a stern test of the Roma defence.

MATCH STATS

Ajax and Roma have met only twice previously, across two matches in the old Champions League’s Group 2 stage that saw them share a 1-1 draw at the Stadio Olimpico before Ajax won the return on home soil.

Ajax haven’t beaten an Italian side in the Netherlands since conquering Roma 2-1 in 2002-03, with their record at home to Serie A sides since reading: P10, D6, L4.

The Giallorossi have lost just one other match against Dutch opposition - at PSV Eindhoven in the 1969-70 Cup Winners’ Cup - and Roma’s overall record against Eredivisie sides is perfectly balanced; P6, W2, D2, L2.

In Europe this season, Paulo Fonseca’s side have picked up four wins out of five on their UEL travels, while losing only once.

PLAYER STATS

• Gabriel Batistuta, Antonio Cassano, Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Jari Litmanen, Andy van der Meyde - this fixture’s five previous goalscorers are some serious names.
  
• Tadic has been directly involved in nine European goals this season (five goals, four assists), which is six more than any of his teammates.
  
• Borja Mayoral has scored seven times in the UEL in 2020-21 and sits level with Pizzi (Benfica) and Yusuf Yazıcı (Lille) as the tournament’s top-scorers this season.
  
• Rick Karsdorp is the fifth Dutchman to represent Roma, following in the footsteps of Urby Emanuelson, Justin Kluivert, Maarten Stekelenburg and Kevin Strootman.

WHAT THEY SAID

"Ajax against Roma would look great on a poster, with two famous clubs meeting. For me, it is a Champions League game. There are no weak clubs in the last eight. Matches are often close and what happens on the day is decisive. That may also be the case against Roma. They convincingly beat Shakhtar Donetsk twice; that means they are a strong team. We have to be strong too."

- Ajax coach Erik ten Hag

"The first leg will be very important. As long as we keep a clean sheet at home, we’ll have a very good chance of making it through. Of course, a win would be ideal, but I’m confident about our attacking capabilities; we’ll be able to score away goals as well."

- Ajax defender Nicolas Tagliafico