Arsenal, Atletico Madrid opponents at Amsterdam Tournament
30 May: Ajax, Arsenal FC, Atlético de Madrid and
SS Lazio Roma will play at the 9th edition of
the Amsterdam Tournament, to take place at the
Amsterdam ArenA on Thursday 02 and Saturday 04 August. Ajax
will play Atlético Madrid on Thursday 02 August
(kick-off 21:15 CET) and Arsenal on Saturday 04 August
(kick-off 21:15 CET). These two fixtures complete Ajax's
pre-season agenda.
It's been a while since Ajax last played Atlético de
Madrid. It is the second time for the Spanish outfit to play at
the Amsterdam Tournament, but the first time (in 1999) they did
not play Ajax. The last official European confrontation between
Ajax and Atlético was in March 1997 in the quarter
finals of the Champions League. Both matches ended in
a 1-1 draw, after which Ajax secured a semi-final slot by
scoring twice (Dani and Babangida) in extra time in Madrid
(final score: 2-3). Atlético de Madrid finished 7th in
Spain's Primera Division this season and will not play in
'Europe' next season.
Ajax and Arsenal know each other quite well. Since the start
of the 21st century, Ajax and Arsenal played four Champions
League games against each other (February 2003, Fall
2005), as well as three matches at the Amsterdam
Tournament (2000, 2004, 2005) and one special friendly:
the Dennis Bergkamp Testimonial in July 2006. It is
always tight. Arsenal finished 4th in last season's
English Premiership and will play Champions League qualifiers,
just like Ajax.
As always, the Amsterdam Tournament will have an
alternative points system. On top of the usual point for a
draw, or three points for a win, each team will also get
one point for every goal scored, so that every team can still
win the tournament in the last game.
The fixtures for the 9th edition of the LG Amsterdam
Tournament:
Thursday 02 August
- 19.00 CET: SS Lazio Roma - Arsenal FC
- 21.15 CET: Ajax - Atlético de Madrid
Saturday 04 August
- 19.00 CET: SS Lazio Roma - Atlético de
Madrid
- 21.15 CET: Ajax - Arsenal FC
The announcement of the line-up for the Amsterdam Tournament
completes Ajax's pre-season agenda. The Amsterdam club will go
back in training on Thursday 05 July. After that, the following
pre-season friendlies are scheduled:
- Sat 14 July, 17.00 CET: VVSB - Ajax
(Noordwijkerhout)
- Mon 16 July, 19.30 CET: GFC - Ajax
(Goor)
- Wed 18 July, 19.30 CET: Quick '20 - Ajax
(Oldenzaal)
- Sat 21 July, 16.00 CET: Go Ahead Eagles - Ajax
(Deventer)
- Tue 24 July, 20.45 CET: Rangers FC - Ajax
(Glasgow, Scotland)
- Sat 28 July, 16.00 CET: Falkirk FC - Ajax
(Falkirk, Scotland)
The annual Open Day at the ArenA and De Toekomst is
scheduled for Wednesday 08 August. The first official match of
the season will be the traditional game for the Johan Cruijff
Shield (Dutch Super Cup) at the Amsterdam ArenA, between
champions PSV and cup winners Ajax. Kick-off time: 20.00
CET.
In their pre-season campaign, Ajax will
once work towards the third preliminary round of the
Champions League in August, two games in which millions of
euros will be at stake. On Friday 27 July, the day of the draw,
Ajax will know they're up against. The first leg will be played
on either Tuesday 14 or Wednesday 15 August. The return leg is
two weeks later, on either Tuesday 28 or Wednesday 29
August.
Finally, the question most frequently
asked to Ajax USA (this is the same every
year...): "When will the Eredivisie fixture list come
out?"
Our answer: we don't know exactly, but usually in
the first week of July. That's all we can say, but one thing is
for sure: as soon as it's published, it will be on Ajax USA.
Same day. Matter of hours. The complete list of fixtures will
appear in our matches section and we will publish a news
report about it, too. 'Til then: please don't ask... Just stay
tuned to the homepage. As soon as we know it, you
know it. (MP)
Source: Ajax.nl
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