Ajax is waiting for a diptych with FC Astana or Ludogorets in the play-offs of the Europa League. These teams will first play in the third preliminary round of the European cup tournament this week and the week after. The Europa League play-offs will take place on Thursday, August 24, with the return a week later on August 31.
Ajax has invariably played in the Champions League in recent years, but due to its third place in the last Eredivisie season, it now has to settle for the Europa League. The team from Amsterdam still has to survive the last preliminary round. If that is not possible, the group stage of the Conference League will be the battleground for the team of trainer Maurice Steijn next season.
Ajax was in Pot 1 this afternoon and was therefore unable to draw teams from the same pot and Pot 2. With that it avoided teams such as Union Sint-Gillis, Dinamo Zagreb, FC Copenhagen and Galatasaray anyway. The team from Amsterdam was eventually linked to FC Astana or Ludogorets in the draw in Nyon, Switzerland. Astana is currently second in Kazakhstan, while Ludogorets became champions of Bulgaria last season.
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