The Eredivisie clash between Ajax and AZ Alkmaar at the Johan Cruyff Arena on Sunday, March 16, 2025, promises to be a fierce battle in the Dutch Eredivisie as both sides look to solidify their positions in the league table. Ajax are chasing a return to their dominant best and are chasing PSV for the title, while AZ Alkmaar continue to push for a Champions League spot in what has been a tightly contested season.

After a turbulent start to the season, Ajax have started to find their rhythm again. Under the guidance of Francesco Fraioli, the Amsterdam giants have begun blending experience with emerging talents to climb up the table and restore some of their pride.

The form of forward Wout Weghorst will be crucial as he leads the line with power and precision. His physicality and clinical finishing have made him Ajax’s top scorer this season. Supporting him, Chuba Akpom and Bertrand Traore have provided creativity and pace on the wings, constantly troubling opposing defenses.

Midfield maestro Kenneth Taylor has been a standout performer, controlling games with his passing and energy. Alongside him, Davy Klassen offers leadership and quality deliveries from set pieces. Defensively, Daniel Rugani and Yaes Baas have emerged as key players, while Remko Passveer brings vast experience between the posts.

The challenge for Ajax will be maintaining their defensive shape against a high pressing AZ side while converting their chances in attack. Their fans know they have so much work to do in order to help restore their beloved side as the pride of Dutch football. For some seasons, they have been under par and have punched far below the lofty standards set by previous generations of Ajax players. 

For the fans, the task is simple, purchase Ajax tickets from an online resale store to support their team. Ajax continued their march for a title push and they defeated Almere 3-0 last time out. Goals from Wout Weghorst, Kenneth Taylor and Kian Franklin Fitz- Jim sealed the three points for the Amsterdam side. They however lost 3-1 to Lazio in the Europa League and this was his assessment of the defeat to the Italian side;

“We saw a lot of Lazio games and this was probably the one where they suffered the most,” Farioli told Sky Sport Italia.

“They are a team in a moment of great confidence and form, their organisation is remarkable, their quality and physicality, but my lads dominated both with and without the ball. There are regrets over the result and we certainly deserved more.”

“We lacked precision in our finishing. Lazio are in a magical period of form and everything is going their way at the moment. They all feel positive, are fighting for the maximum result in every game and are competitive on three fronts,” added the Italian manager Farioli.

“I congratulate them and am happy that Lazio are representing Italian football around Europe.” He noted that Lazio are representing Italian football excellently as they have been on the ascendancy in the past few seasons.

“I think we are in fact doing much better than anyone expected at this stage. The last two years have been very complicated, we were unable to bring any new players in and had to only sell, so the priority is to balance the books,” explained Farioli.

“Unfortunately, and it’s the first time since the start of the season, we are without a win in three, but overall we are heading in the direction where we want to be.”

Ajax are currently second in the Dutch Eredivisie and are six points from leaders, PSV Eindhoven, and they are also six points away from Lazio in the Europa League top position.

AZ Alkmaar have established themselves as one of the Eredivisie’s most consistent sides, competing toe to toe with the traditional big clubs. Managed by Pascal Jansen, AZ Alkmaar play with intensity, tactical discipline, and attacking flair.

Leading the charge for AZ is forward Troy Parrott, whose scoring exploits have made him one of the league’s deadliest strikers. His movement and clinical finishing will test Ajax’s defense. Supporting him, Ruben van Bommel and Sven Mijnans add creativity and speed in the attacking third.

In midfield, Peer Koopmeniers brother to Teun Koopmeniers continues to maintain balance in the centre of the park with his composure and vision, while captain Dani de Wit adds energy and leadership. AZ’s backline, anchored by the experienced Bruno Martins Indi and goalkeeper Rome Jayden Owusu-Oduro, will need to stay organized to withstand Ajax’s attacking onslaught.

AZ Alkmaar’s strength lies in their ability to change defence to offence very quickly, exploiting spaces left by their opposition teams that press high, something Ajax are frequently prone to do. AZ Alkmaar will surely go into the game confident and will fancy their chances as they know they can stifle the Ajax press and flair and hit them on the counter. 

Match tickets

The iconic Johan Cruyff Arena is expected to be near full capacity for this highly anticipated match. Fans can purchase Ajax Amsterdam vs Az Alkmaar tickets via Ajax’s official website or trusted ticketing platforms. 

The match will also be broadcast live on major Eredivisie networks and streaming services. If you will not be able to watch the match live, you can check websites connected to Dutch football for updates and streaming services to be able to watch the game live.

Team news

Both managers will look to field their strongest lineups, though factors beyond their control could affect the line ups.

Ajax  XI: Pasveer; Wijndal, Baas, Rensch, Rugani; Henderson, Klassen, Fitz-Jim; Akpom, Weghorst, Taylor

AZ Alkmaar XI: Owusu-Oduro; Maikuma, Penetra, Indi, de Wit; Koopmeniers, Buurmeester, Smit; Mijnans, van Bommel, Parrott

Prediction

Ajax’s home advantage could give them the edge, but AZ’s resilience and clinical counter-attacks will make this a tightly contested game. Both sides boast attacking quality, so goals are likely.

With their  form and quality, Ajax could just edge this encounter, but it won’t be easy.

Ajax 2-1 AZ Alkmaar