Two clubs chasing UEFA Champions League glory will do battle today in a match between Ajax and APOEL. The group-stage clash scheduled for 2:45 p.m. ET will be held at the Amsterdam Arena in Amsterdam and can be live streamed here free. Additional TV coverage can be found on Fox Soccer Plus.
What They're Saying
Ajax manager Frank de Boer (via UEFA): "You should always aim as high as you can. Last year and the year before, we had great teams in our group. We just have to make sure we stay in the competition because it is only by playing against such teams [FC Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain] that you can get better. They play at a higher tempo and you don't see that a lot in our league. That's a very important aspect, but in the UEFA Europa League you will have opponents that will really test you too."
APOEL manager Giorgos Donis: "We have to focus for the whole game, be disciplined and the mental strength of the players must be evident. Once we have played the next three matches, [before a two-week winter break], we can relax and get better results. I'm proud of this team because despite the fatigue, everyone has showed what they can do. I look forward with optimism."
Tactical Preview
Player to Watch: Ajax's Arkadiusz Milik has been in stellar form in the Eredivisie, boasting eight goals and two assists, but is yet to open his Champions League account. In nine league appearances, the 20-year-old is averaging 1.4 key passes.
Ajax Projected Lineup (4-3-3): Cillessen; Van Rhijn, Veltman, Moisander, Viergever; Klaassen, Serero, Andersen; Schöne, Milik, Kishna
APOEL's Projected Lineup (4-4-2): Pardo; Antoniades, Carlão, Papazoglou, Mário Sérgio; Aloneftis, Nuno Morais, Vinicius, Efrem; Sheridan, Manduca
Note: Credit all statistics to officially licensed data from Opta Sports (via WhoScored).
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