Sparta Rotterdam vs Ajax Predictions, Betting Tips & Match Preview

Sparta Rotterdam, the oldest professional football team in the Netherlands, finally won promotion back into the Eredivisie in April 2016 after a 3-1 win over Jong Ajax gave them an unassailable lead over second placed VVV Venlo. After six years in the Dutch second tier (Eerste Divisie), Sparta Rotterdam will certainly be looking forward to a season of top flight football, with survival as this season’s target. Despite an impressive, unbeaten pre-season, winning four and drawing three, the hosts are huge underdogs and have a mountain to climb in their opening fixture as they host 2015/2016 Eredivisie runners up, Ajax Amsterdam.

Ajax missed out on the Eredivisie title in dramatic fashion, with everything on the line heading into the last day of the season. Despite a long unbeaten run at the end of the campaign, Ajax were only able to take away a 1-1 draw from relegation struggling Da Graafschap, with PSV Eindhoven’s 3-1 win away to PEC Zwolle crowning them champions. 2nd place was enough to grant Ajax qualification to the UEFA Champions League third qualifying round, where they drew 1-1 at home to Greek side PAOK in the first leg and will face them the on Wednesday before this fixture to settle who makes it through to the playoff round.

Ajax boss Peter Bosz will be hoping for more of the same from his side heading into this season, with new signings Davinson Sanchez and Mateo Casierra, both of whom come to the Netherlands from Colombia, helping to strengthen the squad. Sparta Rotterdam have been hard at work in their pre-season training since early July, and stand unbeaten over all seven matches (W4 D3), including a 3-3 draw against fellow Eredivisie side FC Groningen. While Sparta Rotterdam may have a fighting chance at survival this season, hosting giants Ajax in the opener is no easy feat and we feel they don’t stand much of a chance here. Sparta will be missing many players going forward and Ajax are a side that can chip away at teams who just sit back. Sparta have failed to score against Ajax in any of their last three meetings and as such we feel handicapping Ajax brings some tempting value to a wager.

Combining that analysis with the statistics, we expect Ajax -1.0 Asian handicap at 2.025 and Ajax to win 2-0 at 7/1 to both be decent value bets for this match.