Now that football is back to its regular settings, we turn our attention to the UEFA Conference League qualifications, as sleeping giants Ajax take on European hopefuls Vojvodina in Novi Sad, Serbia.
Things are already looking gray for Vojvodina, who must now be used to disappointments in qualification. The Tulips haven't had any luck in Europe in decades, ever since they reached the 1998-99 Intertoto Cup final.
Vojvodina started their campaign against Ferencvaros in the Europa League qualification, losing both legs. Getting one more chance at the Conference League is some consolation, but they drew the short straw when it comes to their opponent.
Ajax are both the most experienced and most expensive team in this round of the Europa League qualification, and new manager Michel needs his team to make a statement.
Fortunately, the Sons of the Gods were very busy this month, playing four friendlies against opponents above Vojvodina's level.
Yes, we can't draw any definite conclusions from friendly matches, but at least we know that Ajax are in decent physical shape and will get up to speed quickly enough.
How the bookies view it: Now or never for Ajax
Bookmakers are still unsure about Ajax's abilities, and give them 1/2 to win in Novi Sad. We all expected them to be significant favourites, but these odds offer some unexpected value.
If you expect Vojvodina to claim an underdog win at home, you can back them at 15/4, while a draw is priced at 16/5.
Recent head-to-head: Back-to-back H2H wins for the Dutch
This is not the first time Vojvodina have had bad luck in qualification draws, as this is the second time they face Ajax in three years.
The two teams met in the second qualification round for the Europa League in 2024, with Ajax claiming both legs 4-1 on aggregate.
Overall, Vojvodina have never won against Dutch opposition in four attempts.
Players to watch: Godts can do it all
Ajax have been very vocal on the transfer market, and signed several experienced players, including Caio Henrique and the returning Daley Blind, who started his career at the Ajax academy and spent a total of 11 seasons at the club.
But all the new names will need time to integrate, and we need immediate results. This is why we have to rely on the player who made all of this possible last season – 21-year-old Mika Godts.
After 17 goals and 13 assists in 34 Eredivisie matches last season, and a Talent of the Year award, we can expect great things from him, and a goal in Serbia would be a fantastic way to start the season.
Backed a player to find the net? Check our Goalscorer Betting guide to see how the markets work and where to find value.
Probable line-ups
Vojvodina: Rosic, Barros, Crnomarkovic, Tanjga, Butean, Kokanovic, Vidosavljevic, Petrovic, Randjekovic, Mulahusejnovic, Kolarevic
Ajax: Paes, Wijndal, Blind, Bouwman, Rosa, Berghuis, Klaassen, Godts, Regeer, Dolberg, Gloukh
Anything else catch the eye?
Ajax may need a little time to get into their rhythm, but the team desperately needs a strong start, and anything less than a convincing victory will be a failure.
Ferencvaros exposed all of Vojvodina's weaknesses in the previous qualifying round, and their upcoming Dutch opponents are a cut above them.
We expect to see a new, stronger Ajax under Michel’s leadership, and for them to get the job done in the first leg.
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