Why this matchup matters
Two football ideas, one impossible night Two descendants of the same football school meet at different stages of its evolution. Van Gaal's young Ajax could press, rotate and attack with width; Guardiola's Barcelona refined those ideas around Messi, Xavi and Iniesta.
Ajax Louis van Gaal · 4-3-3 · Total Football · Youth CoreVS Barcelona Pep Guardiola · 4-3-3 · Tiki-Taka · False Nine
400 alternate nights
Ajax vs Barcelona Model lean: Barcelona
Signature score
1–1
average goals 1.44–1.54
Most likely scores 1–1 11.3% 0–1 8.5% 1–2 8% 0–2 7.8% 1–0 7.8% 2–1 6.8% Match profile xG 1.46 1.49
Shots 12.8 13
Poss 45% 55%
CS 21.5% 25.5%
Goals in 400 matches Ajax G /m Kluivert 192 0.48 Overmars 115 0.29 George 111 0.28 Litmanen 40 0.10 Barcelona G /m Villa 209 0.52 Messi 125 0.31 Pedro 111 0.28 Xavi 45 0.11
Home XI Ajax 1994/95 Louis van Gaal · 4-3-3 90 OVR
XI
LW Marc Overmars 86
Marc Overmars
PAC 93 SHO 83 PAS 79 DRI 80 DEF 61 PHY 78 ST Patrick Kluivert 86
Patrick Kluivert
PAC 85 SHO 89 PAS 76 DRI 77 DEF 53 PHY 80 RW Finidi George 84
Finidi George
PAC 89 SHO 81 PAS 76 DRI 79 DEF 59 PHY 77 CM Clarence Seedorf 84
Clarence Seedorf
PAC 78 SHO 71 PAS 83 DRI 81 DEF 71 PHY 76 CDM Edgar Davids 86
Edgar Davids
PAC 77 SHO 65 PAS 84 DRI 78 DEF 83 PHY 89 CM Jari Litmanen 90
Jari Litmanen
PAC 81 SHO 86 PAS 91 DRI 91 DEF 78 PHY 82 LB Frank de Boer 86
Frank de Boer
PAC 87 SHO 69 PAS 85 DRI 78 DEF 84 PHY 82 CB Danny Blind 84
Danny Blind
PAC 69 SHO 48 PAS 82 DRI 63 DEF 86 PHY 83 CB Frank Rijkaard 88
Frank Rijkaard
PAC 71 SHO 54 PAS 85 DRI 65 DEF 87 PHY 86 RB Michael Reiziger 82
Michael Reiziger
PAC 81 SHO 63 PAS 75 DRI 73 DEF 77 PHY 79 GK Edwin van der Sar 86
Edwin van der Sar
DIV 83 HAN 81 KIC 67 REF 87 SPD 61 POS 83 Bench · 7 ▾ CAM Ronald de Boer 84
Ronald de Boer
PAC 79 SHO 76 PAS 82 DRI 84 DEF 60 PHY 74 ST Nwankwo Kanu 82
Nwankwo Kanu
PAC 84 SHO 81 PAS 73 DRI 73 DEF 50 PHY 77 CB Winston Bogarde 80
Winston Bogarde
PAC 67 SHO 45 PAS 71 DRI 58 DEF 80 PHY 79 ST Peter van Vossen 76
Peter van Vossen
PAC 77 SHO 76 PAS 67 DRI 65 DEF 45 PHY 69 CM John van den Brom 74
John van den Brom
PAC 67 SHO 61 PAS 75 DRI 71 DEF 62 PHY 66 LB Michel Kreek 74
Michel Kreek
PAC 75 SHO 57 PAS 68 DRI 65 DEF 70 PHY 72 GK Fred Grim 72
Fred Grim
DIV 71 HAN 67 KIC 51 REF 72 SPD 51 POS 70
Away XI Barcelona 2010/11 Pep Guardiola · 4-3-3 94 OVR
XI
LW Pedro 86
Pedro
PAC 90 SHO 86 PAS 78 DRI 81 DEF 61 PHY 79 ST David Villa 91
David Villa
PAC 90 SHO 92 PAS 81 DRI 82 DEF 59 PHY 86 RW Lionel Messi 98
Lionel Messi
PAC 99 SHO 97 PAS 90 DRI 97 DEF 72 PHY 90 CM Andrés Iniesta 95
Andrés Iniesta
PAC 89 SHO 81 PAS 95 DRI 96 DEF 83 PHY 87 CDM Sergio Busquets 91
Sergio Busquets
PAC 78 SHO 69 PAS 92 DRI 83 DEF 89 PHY 86 CM Xavi 96
Xavi
PAC 87 SHO 81 PAS 98 DRI 98 DEF 83 PHY 87 LB Eric Abidal 86
Eric Abidal
PAC 88 SHO 68 PAS 81 DRI 78 DEF 82 PHY 84 CB Carles Puyol 89
Carles Puyol
PAC 71 SHO 55 PAS 80 DRI 68 DEF 91 PHY 87 CB Gerard Piqué 90
Gerard Piqué
PAC 78 SHO 54 PAS 80 DRI 67 DEF 89 PHY 90 RB Dani Alves 91
Dani Alves
PAC 92 SHO 72 PAS 84 DRI 83 DEF 87 PHY 89 GK Víctor Valdés 87
Víctor Valdés
DIV 87 HAN 85 KIC 66 REF 88 SPD 60 POS 89 Bench · 9 ▾ CB Javier Mascherano 86
Javier Mascherano
PAC 72 SHO 52 PAS 75 DRI 64 DEF 87 PHY 85 CM Seydou Keita 83
Seydou Keita
PAC 78 SHO 68 PAS 83 DRI 81 DEF 71 PHY 75 LB Adriano 81
Adriano
PAC 83 SHO 63 PAS 74 DRI 72 DEF 77 PHY 78 LB Maxwell 80
Maxwell
PAC 82 SHO 61 PAS 74 DRI 71 DEF 75 PHY 78 LW Ibrahim Afellay 80
Ibrahim Afellay
PAC 81 SHO 76 PAS 71 DRI 75 DEF 54 PHY 73 ST Bojan Krkić 78
Bojan Krkić
PAC 76 SHO 79 PAS 69 DRI 69 DEF 47 PHY 71 GK José Manuel Pinto 76
José Manuel Pinto
DIV 78 HAN 72 KIC 57 REF 75 SPD 50 POS 77 CB Andreu Fontàs 74
Andreu Fontàs
PAC 59 SHO 40 PAS 64 DRI 52 DEF 74 PHY 74 RW Jeffrén 74
Jeffrén
PAC 76 SHO 71 PAS 66 DRI 70 DEF 48 PHY 66 Ratings Attack 90
Midfield 92
Defence 86
Goalkeeping 86
Chemistry 96
Overall 90
Ratings Attack 96
Midfield 99
Defence 89
Goalkeeping 86
Chemistry 98
Overall 94
Your turn
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Home Ajax Louis van Gaal· 4-3-3 90 OVR
Change team ▾ XI
LW Marc Overmars 86
Marc Overmars
PAC 93 SHO 83 PAS 79 DRI 80 DEF 61 PHY 78 ST Patrick Kluivert 86
Patrick Kluivert
PAC 85 SHO 89 PAS 76 DRI 77 DEF 53 PHY 80 RW Finidi George 84
Finidi George
PAC 89 SHO 81 PAS 76 DRI 79 DEF 59 PHY 77 CM Clarence Seedorf 84
Clarence Seedorf
PAC 78 SHO 71 PAS 83 DRI 81 DEF 71 PHY 76 CDM Edgar Davids 86
Edgar Davids
PAC 77 SHO 65 PAS 84 DRI 78 DEF 83 PHY 89 CM Jari Litmanen 90
Jari Litmanen
PAC 81 SHO 86 PAS 91 DRI 91 DEF 78 PHY 82 LB Frank de Boer 86
Frank de Boer
PAC 87 SHO 69 PAS 85 DRI 78 DEF 84 PHY 82 CB Danny Blind 84
Danny Blind
PAC 69 SHO 48 PAS 82 DRI 63 DEF 86 PHY 83 CB Frank Rijkaard 88
Frank Rijkaard
PAC 71 SHO 54 PAS 85 DRI 65 DEF 87 PHY 86 RB Michael Reiziger 82
Michael Reiziger
PAC 81 SHO 63 PAS 75 DRI 73 DEF 77 PHY 79 GK Edwin van der Sar 86
Edwin van der Sar
DIV 83 HAN 81 KIC 67 REF 87 SPD 61 POS 83 Bench · 7 ▾ CAM Ronald de Boer 84
Ronald de Boer
PAC 79 SHO 76 PAS 82 DRI 84 DEF 60 PHY 74 ST Nwankwo Kanu 82
Nwankwo Kanu
PAC 84 SHO 81 PAS 73 DRI 73 DEF 50 PHY 77 CB Winston Bogarde 80
Winston Bogarde
PAC 67 SHO 45 PAS 71 DRI 58 DEF 80 PHY 79 ST Peter van Vossen 76
Peter van Vossen
PAC 77 SHO 76 PAS 67 DRI 65 DEF 45 PHY 69 CM John van den Brom 74
John van den Brom
PAC 67 SHO 61 PAS 75 DRI 71 DEF 62 PHY 66 LB Michel Kreek 74
Michel Kreek
PAC 75 SHO 57 PAS 68 DRI 65 DEF 70 PHY 72 GK Fred Grim 72
Fred Grim
DIV 71 HAN 67 KIC 51 REF 72 SPD 51 POS 70 VS
Legendary Recent
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Away Barcelona Pep Guardiola· 4-3-3 94 OVR
Change team ▾ XI
LW Pedro 86
Pedro
PAC 90 SHO 86 PAS 78 DRI 81 DEF 61 PHY 79 ST David Villa 91
David Villa
PAC 90 SHO 92 PAS 81 DRI 82 DEF 59 PHY 86 RW Lionel Messi 98
Lionel Messi
PAC 99 SHO 97 PAS 90 DRI 97 DEF 72 PHY 90 CM Andrés Iniesta 95
Andrés Iniesta
PAC 89 SHO 81 PAS 95 DRI 96 DEF 83 PHY 87 CDM Sergio Busquets 91
Sergio Busquets
PAC 78 SHO 69 PAS 92 DRI 83 DEF 89 PHY 86 CM Xavi 96
Xavi
PAC 87 SHO 81 PAS 98 DRI 98 DEF 83 PHY 87 LB Eric Abidal 86
Eric Abidal
PAC 88 SHO 68 PAS 81 DRI 78 DEF 82 PHY 84 CB Carles Puyol 89
Carles Puyol
PAC 71 SHO 55 PAS 80 DRI 68 DEF 91 PHY 87 CB Gerard Piqué 90
Gerard Piqué
PAC 78 SHO 54 PAS 80 DRI 67 DEF 89 PHY 90 RB Dani Alves 91
Dani Alves
PAC 92 SHO 72 PAS 84 DRI 83 DEF 87 PHY 89 GK Víctor Valdés 87
Víctor Valdés
DIV 87 HAN 85 KIC 66 REF 88 SPD 60 POS 89 Bench · 9 ▾ CB Javier Mascherano 86
Javier Mascherano
PAC 72 SHO 52 PAS 75 DRI 64 DEF 87 PHY 85 CM Seydou Keita 83
Seydou Keita
PAC 78 SHO 68 PAS 83 DRI 81 DEF 71 PHY 75 LB Adriano 81
Adriano
PAC 83 SHO 63 PAS 74 DRI 72 DEF 77 PHY 78 LB Maxwell 80
Maxwell
PAC 82 SHO 61 PAS 74 DRI 71 DEF 75 PHY 78 LW Ibrahim Afellay 80
Ibrahim Afellay
PAC 81 SHO 76 PAS 71 DRI 75 DEF 54 PHY 73 ST Bojan Krkić 78
Bojan Krkić
PAC 76 SHO 79 PAS 69 DRI 69 DEF 47 PHY 71 GK José Manuel Pinto 76
José Manuel Pinto
DIV 78 HAN 72 KIC 57 REF 75 SPD 50 POS 77 CB Andreu Fontàs 74
Andreu Fontàs
PAC 59 SHO 40 PAS 64 DRI 52 DEF 74 PHY 74 RW Jeffrén 74
Jeffrén
PAC 76 SHO 71 PAS 66 DRI 70 DEF 48 PHY 66 Choose different teams →