On August 23rd at 2:45 AM, in the first leg of the 2024/25 Europa League play-offs, Polish Ekstraklasa team Górnik Zabrze will host Ajax. Górnik Zabrze, as last season’s Polish champion, were eliminated from the 2024/25 Champions League qualifiers by Norwegian champions Bodø/Glimt with a 5:1 aggregate score. Ajax, on the other hand, navigated their way through the Europa League qualifiers, overcoming challenges from Vojvodina and Panathinaikos. In terms of market value, Górnik Zabrze’s entire squad is valued at €15.7 million, while Ajax’s value is close to €250 million. The difference in strength between the two is extremely significant.
With 5 rounds played in the Ekstraklasa, Górnik Zabrze currently has a game in hand. They have recorded 3 wins and 1 loss in their 4 games, maintaining a strong momentum. After winning their first three league games, they suffered a 4:2 defeat to Cracovia in their last outing. Scoring 9 goals and conceding 6 in 4 matches, Górnik Zabrze’s attacking prowess remains at a decent level, but their defensive performance has raised some concerns.
Ajax’s new season league start has continued their poor form from last season. They have 1 win and 1 loss in their 2 matches, winning the first game 1:0 against Heerenveen, but then losing 1:2 away to Breda. Ajax’s performance is still significantly below expectations, and their annual strategy of selling key players is backfiring on the club’s future potential. In the previous stage of the Europa League qualifiers, Ajax and Panathinaikos engaged in a fiercely fought penalty shootout. After 17 rounds of penalty kicks, Ajax narrowly eliminated the Greek side 13:12.
This summer transfer window saw Górnik Zabrze not spend a single euro. Whether it was Silva from Vitesse, Stryjek from Wycombe, or Villalobos from Cracovia, all these players were free transfers. On the player departures side, the team did generate €3 million in revenue. Marczuk and Wiśniewski joined Real Salt Lake and Braga, respectively, for €1.5 million each.
Ajax also remained inactive during this summer transfer window. They signed Traoré on a free transfer from Villarreal, recently finalized a loan deal with Juventus for Rugani, and promoted Rasmussen from the youth team to the first team. On the player departures front, Ruud went to Marseille for €4 million. This is one of the rare times Ajax has had a quiet summer transfer window. After all, the reality of nearly being relegated last season is a shame the team doesn’t want to revisit. However, judging from their performance in the first two games of the new season, it seems Ajax still has a long way to go to regain their past glory.
The two teams have never met before in history, and Górnik Zabrze has never faced a Dutch club. Ajax has faced Polish clubs six times, boasting a record of 5 wins and 1 draw, remaining undefeated. Therefore, this game is a complete encounter.
The most dangerous player in the Ajax squad is Brobbey, who was instrumental in Ajax’s eventual recovery from their slump last season. Hato is another reliable player in the forward line, currently scoring 2 goals in 5 games for the team. Górnik Zabrze’s Imaz has a great knack for scoring, having already netted 3 goals for the team. He was also the team’s top scorer last season, and his teammate Pruś also remains in good form, currently with 2 goals to his name.
Górnik Zabrze may not be a traditional powerhouse in the Ekstraklasa, but their resurgence last season has earned them respect. Although Ajax has a glorious history, their current strength is nowhere near their former glory days. Even though they are a declining force, Ajax remains a giant in front of Górnik Zabrze.
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