Getafe vs Ajax Prediction & Betting Tips - Europa League

Prediction published on 17/02/2020, 08:23  by James | Modified on 17/02/2020 at 09:23 in Europa League Prediction

One of the shocks of the Champions League group stage was seeing Ajax fail to make the knockout rounds. The Dutch darlings reminded everyone of why they should be everyone's second team in last season's edition, reaching the semi-final stage. Now, they will play Europa League football and face a tricky round of 32 first leg tie away to Getafe. The surprise story of the La Liga campaign, Getafe are currently third behind Real Madrid and Barcelona in the Spanish top flight. The underdogs have achieved this lofty position thanks to their no-nonsense style of play. The upside of this style is the direct attacking which can be a joy to watch. The downside is that their defensive work can often involve a lot of gamesmanship, as illustrated by the 30 fouls they made in their 2-1 defeat to Barcelona at the weekend. A record for the top five leagues this season, the previous highest was 28 - also held by Getafe.

Ajax coach Erik Ten Hag will be expecting this tough Getafe to try to limit the flow of their passing game. Getafe will try to break up play as much as possible and we anticipate a game with plenty of stoppages. Ajax have more European experience than their opponents but Getafe have a strong record at home this season, only losing to Barca, Real Madrid, and Basel. Games held at the Coliseum Alfonso Pérez typically finish with fewer than 2.5 goals (nine of the 15 matches there in all competitions). A wager on the number of cards shown or fouls committed during the game is tempting. However, the likelihood is that Getafe will view this game as one of the most important of their season. Backing them to get the victory and a clean sheet is a hell of a bet. Take a punt.