Europa League: Dutch giant Ajax in a mess heading to Brighton

Ajax has failed to win in its last eight games in all competitions and on Monday, Ajax parted company with coach Maurice Steijn after just 11 games in charge.

File Photo: Dejected Ajax players after its Europa League group B match against Marseille. | Photo Credit: AP

The unravelling of Ajax is proving to be one of the saddest football stories of the season. The Dutch giant — a four-time European champion and among the continent’s storied clubs — has made its worst-ever start to a season since the advent of professional football in the Netherlands in 1954. Ajax has failed to win in its last eight games in all competitions — five of those have been defeats — its longest-ever run without a victory. The team is second from the bottom in the Dutch league on the back of four straight losses and has yet to win in the Europa League, either, heading into a match at Brighton. 

On Monday, Ajax parted company with coach Maurice Steijn after just 11 games in charge, with former player Hedwiges Maduro taking temporary control of the team. Brighton has only one point from two games in its first season in the Europa League. English teams Liverpool and West Ham are two of seven clubs with a maximum of six points and they face Toulouse and Olympiakos, respectively.

READ MORE: Greek Super League derby between Olympiakos and Panathinaikos suspended after player hit by firework

Europa Conference League

Last season’s runner-up Fiorentina looks to boost its status in Group F when it hosts last-place Cukaricki, a Serbian club. With two points from two draws, Fiorentina is third in the group behind Ferencvaros and Genk, who have four points each entering their match in Belgium. Fiorentina has had a strong start in Serie A, including an impressive 3-1 win at defending champion Napoli before the international break. But the Viola were also beaten 2-0 by visiting Empoli in a Tuscan derby on Monday.  

Aston Villa visits AZ Alkmaar in Group E, where all four teams are on three points. Slovan Bratislava, Viktoria Plzen, PAOK and Fenerbahce are the only four sides that won both of their opening matches. Of those four, Fenerbahce is the only one playing at home this week, against a Ludogorets side coming off a 7-1 rout by Nordsjaelland. Maccabi Tel Aviv’s home game against Zorya Luhansk was postponed to November 25 and needs to be moved to a new venue after UEFA decided that Israel will not host any European matches until further notice.