Ajax v Celtic Odds : Bhoys look value in Champions League clash in Holland
It says a lot of Celtic’s improvement in recent years that assistant manager John Mjallby can say that the trip to face Ajax is not a must-win for the Glasgow side at the pressure is on the home team.
“It’s important that we get something from the game. I think there’s more pressure on Ajax because we are above them in the table,” he said.
“If we can take something from the game, we are still in a good position. A win would be a dream.”
Ajax |
4/5 |
Draw  |
14/5 |
| Celtic |
15/4 |
The Scottish champions are third in group H on three points while the Dutch outfit only have one from their three opening games and Mjallby feels that with the pressure off them they can take advantage.
“This is our chance now to finish in the top two in the group It’s going to be massive for us to try to get something. There is massive pressure on Ajax because if they can’t beat us, they are going to be in all sorts of trouble when it comes to their chances of going through.
“Of course they are beatable. We have already beaten them once so why can’t we do it twice?”
Once again they will be without captain Scott Brown who is sitting out the second of a three game suspension after kicking Neymar in the group opener against Barcelona.
Confidence is high in Scotland though and national team manager Gordon Strachan has back the Bhoys to win, saying they are a better side than Ajax.
“I think Celtic can win on Wednesday and I think they can beat AC Milan. That’s not just hoping; I definitely think they can beat them.
“They’re a better team than Ajax at this moment. The Ajax team will develop; they look like a youth team – I don’t think anybody has had a shave in that team. When you look at them and the Juventus team Celtic played last season, they were men.”
Georgios Samaras, Kris Commons who sat out Saturday’s 1-1 draw with Dundee United and Mikael Lustig who came on as a substitute have all made the trip to Amsterdam and will be assessed following the final training session at the Amsterdam Arena.
It is the Dutch side’s worst ever start to a Champions League campaign but a win at home will see them leapfrog Celtic but the Scots will be aware than should Barcelona beat a struggling AC Milan side in the group’s other Wednesday night fixture they could find themselves in second place.
The game kicks off at 19:45 GMT.
