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Van Basten: "Last game at home is
good "
Wednesday 08 October 2008
Marco van Basten is content about
Ajax' draw for the second round group stages in the
UEFA Cup.
Not only the four opponents are
to the liking of Van Basten, he is also happy about
the game schedule.
Ajax finish with a home game against
Slavia Praag.
"That is good. It could be
a decisive game," Van Basten said.
The other opponents for Ajax are
Hamburger SV (away), MSK Zilina (home) and Aston Villa
(away).
"An interesting draw. with
two teams from big leagues and two teams from smaller
leagues. What struck me is that all these teams are
doing well in their domestic leagues," who noticed
that they encounter the teams from the smaller leagues
at home.
"For us that is positive.
When you win your home games you have a fair chance
of qualifying."
Jol
According to Hamburg manager Martin Jol Aston Villa
are favorites to win this group.
"It's a beautiful group,"
the former manager of Tottenham Hotspur says.
"Ajax are a big club, but
to me Aston Villa are the favorites. They're a solid
side. Then there are Slavia Praagthe champions of the
Czech Republic, who have signed some reinforcements
for this season. MSK Zilina are a well organized team,
who aren't second in the Slowak league for nothing,"
Jol thinks.
Villa
Aston Villa coach Martin O’Neill is relishing an
opening game at home against Ajax, the first of four
matches that, he hopes, will take them through to the
last 32.
He said: “We start with Ajax
at Villa Park, which is really mouth-watering. It’s
just absolutely brilliant to be part of it all and being
back in European competition is fantastic news for the
football club. Villa Park could be really rocking against
Ajax. The key now is that it’s a step up in quality.
If you look at some of the teams involved, for example
AC Milan, Sevilla and Ajax, these are sides with a real
pedigree. I said before the draw that there are 10 or
12 teams that could be contesting the Champions League.”
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