Ajax vs Juventus Leg 2 Odds & Picks – Champions League Quaterfinals
- All square after the first leg
- Ronaldo on the mark
- Value with Ajax’s +425
Juventus and Ajax are two of the giants of European football and every meeting between them is huge.
Last Wednesday’s game was no exception and it was no surprise that these two evenly matched teams played out an entertaining and tense 1-1 draw in Amsterdam’s Johann Cruyff Arena.
The tie resumes this week for Leg 2 on Tuesday, April 16 at 3:00pm EST in Italy. Juventus are listed as heavy favorites to advance with odds of -305.
Ajax vs Juventus Odds
| Team | Spread | Moneyline odds | Total | To Qualify |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Juventus | -1.0 (+125) | -150 | O 2.5 (-125) | -305 |
| Ajax | +1.0. (-150) | +450 | U 2.5 (+105) | +225 |
| Draw | N/A | +275 | N/A | N/A |
*Odds taken April 15, 2019
On a Knife Edge
This week’s second leg
For Ajax, things could have been so different however and while they will head to Turin with a positive mindset, they will be feeling a little aggrieved that they are not taking with them a first-leg lead.
Ajax will need to recreate their heroics in Madrid to give themselves a chance
They produced a dominant performance last week and played some really good stuff while creating quite a few goalscoring chances. Unfortunately for them, they were unable to take any of those they created in the first half and were hit with a sucker-punch on the stroke of halftime.
Ronaldo Again the Hero
Not for the first time, it was Cristiano Ronaldo who found space between Ajax’s centre-backs to clinically head home and give the Old Lady a lead they didn’t really deserve. It was his 125th Champions League goal.
Champions League: What Cristiano Ronaldo said after Juventus’ 1-1 draw with Ajax https://t.co/JvHbKzSu8q pic.twitter.com/wOcnxbZnbD
— Daily Post Nigeria (@DailyPostNGR) April 11, 2019
The lead didn’t last long though and almost straight from the kick-off, David Neres robbed Joao Cancelo of possession and finished off a powerful run with a fizzing shot that pulled his side level.
Ajax vs Juventus Leg 1 Stats
| 19 | Shots | 7 |
| 6 | Shots On Target | 1 |
| 61% | Possession | 39% |
| 606 | Passes | 382 |
| 4 | Corners | 3 |
The second half toed and froed but always with the Amsterdam team in the ascendency.
Yet it was Juve’s Douglas Costa who came closest to winning the game when he crashed an angled shot against the Ajax post.
? Champions League
⚽️ #AJAJUV : Ajax 1-1 Juventus
⚽️ #MUNFCB : Manchester United 0-1 FC Barcelone pic.twitter.com/FQ0WkSETMT— beIN SPORTS (@beinsports_FR) April 10, 2019
It will be a different story this week though, as Juve have a fantastic home record, and will likely be a role reversal with Juve having a lot of the ball and Ajax having to soak up pressure and play on the break.
The Turin Fortress
The Italian giants have played 21 home matches at home this season, winning 18, drawing two and losing just the one – 2-1 to Manchester United in the Champions League group stages.
Since the United game, the Old Lady have been relentless and have won 12 of 13 home games. The Allianz Stadium has become a fortress in both Serie A and Europe, and they have scored plenty of goals along the way.
? • Juventus statistics in Champions League away games this season.
? Possession
63.1% vs Atlético Madrid
60.5% vs Manchester United
59.6% vs Young Boys
45.8% vs Valencia
39.2% vs Ajax pic.twitter.com/5pqnUk6KxA— AjaxTimes (@ajaxtimes) April 11, 2019
This will be a big ask for Ajax, make no mistake, and they will need to recreate their heroics in Madrid to give themselves a chance.
To make things doubly challenging, Ajax has never won in Turin but this young vibrant team came of age in Madrid and will still believe they can qualify for the semi-final.
.@SpursOfficial fan in Turin? Find out more about our city, Allianz Stadium and #JuventusMuseum ➡️ https://t.co/vTin7HI6kK #JuveTOT #UCL pic.twitter.com/ech6A7i7M4
— JuventusFC (@juventusfcen) February 12, 2018
Fearless Ajax Unfazed by the Allianz
We think Ajax can do this and while Juve hold all the cards in terms of their great home record and being an experienced team that is used to handling these big European nights, their home defeat by United and Ajax’s win in Madrid could be key factors.
We’re going big here and not only do we think Ajax’s verve and energy will see them go through to the semi, but we also think they will win the game outright.
Our pick: Ajax to win 2-1
Once just a sports fanatic, fan-turned-writer Gary Gowers has been featured on European television and radio networks to discuss several professional football clubs. His work can be found in an assortment of publications like The Metro, MyFootballWriter.com, and BBC Radio Norfolk.
