Ajax can look back on an excellent preparation. They trained against German opponents from the Bundesliga and in the duel, the team of coach Erik ten Hag showed that he is ready for the new season. Sparta Rotterdam, on the other hand, did not win a single game in preparation and lost 2-1 to Borussia Dortmund. Opta considered for the match between Sparta and Ajax at Het Kasteel, Sunday from 14:30.

o Ajax have won the last seven league matches with Sparta Rotterdam, the team from Amsterdam lost points for the last time in August 2009 against Sparta (0-0 at home).

o Ajax have found the net 23 times in the last seven Eredivisie matches with Sparta, including fifteen times in the last four matches in Rotterdam West (average 3.8 per game).

o Sparta Rotterdam wins the last time in the first round of an Eredivisie season in 1987 (6-2 against FC Utrecht); the Spangenaren have started at the highest level without a win over the past 22 seasons (eight draws, four losses).

Ajax’s top ten goals in preparation for this season

o Sparta Rotterdam has succeeded in every Eredivisie match with a team from the traditional top three (seven meetings, ten goals) since the beginning of 2018; Sparta is the only current Eredivisie team to have managed it in this period.

o In his Eredivisie career, Tom Beugelsdijk did not take more cards against any team than against Ajax (six), but the defender also did not score more Eredivisie goals against any team than against the team from Amsterdam (two).

o Sparta acquisition Danzell Gravenberch, who played his last Eredivisie match against Ajax in May 2014, has turned yellow in each of his last three league games against his former team Young Ajax.

o Ajax do not manage to start the last three Eredivisie seasons with a win (twice drawn, one lost), but manage to record the last 49 seasons each time in the first round.

o Ajax have lost eight of the last seventeen official matches in all competitions, having suffered just as many defeats as in the previous 91 matches.

o With Antony (10 – 4 goals, 6 shots) and Mohammed Kudus (12 – 11 goals, 1 assist), Ajax have the youngest player in the ranks with at least ten goals or assistants last season in both the Brazilian and Danish leagues.

o Erik ten Hag has 99 Eredivisie victories from 160 matches as coach; Sparta is the team he has met the most as an Eredivisie coach, with only victories as a result (6).