UCL Preview: OM welcome Ajax
It's already Matchday Two in the UEFA Champions League and Olympique de Marseille are the first Ligue 1 McDonald's team in action as they welcome Ajax -- get the latest on the clash at the Stade Vélodrome in our preview.
OM full of confidence
What a week it has been for Olympique de Marseille! A late defeat away to Real Madrid on Matchday One of this competition will surely have stung, but in the time since, Roberto de Zerbi's side have navigated two of their toughest Ligue 1 McDonald's matches -- at home to Paris Saint-Germain and away to RC Strasbourg -- in near-flawless fashion, winning both to sit comfortably in third place.
This resurgence has been down to the quick acclimation of defenders Nayef Aguerd and Benjamin Pavard -- both summer signing, as well as another new (but old) face, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang. The seemingly ageless veteran returned to the French top flight this summer and has hit the ground running, with his equalizer in Friday's win over Strasbourg giving him a share of first place in the goal-scoring charts.
His good form and the confidence gained from the team's play domestically has given de Zerbi plenty of ambition for the match, as the Italian underscored: "We have a strong team, still developing, but strong. Ajax are a good team. They have a history and a clear identity, but so do we. We want to win for our position in the league [phase] table and for the fans."
With only Geoffrey Kondogbia absent, and what is sure to be an electric atmosphere at the Vélodrôme, this match will be a momentous occasion, and l'OM look well-positioned to take full advantage.
5 matches. 3 goals. 1 assist. 🇬🇦
He’s back. AUBACK. ❤️🔥 pic.twitter.com/dgSKZLeBGE— Ligue 1 English (@Ligue1_ENG) September 26, 2025
Uneven Ajax look to kick-start season
Despite having started the Eredivisie season unbeaten in their first seven matches, there is still a sense that not all is well with Ajax. That run, while impressive on the surface, includes three draws, and the Amsterdam side sit four points (and goal difference) behind Feyenoord, mired in third place. Much of this is due to the team's stuttering attack. A return of 14 goals in seven matches is solid indeed, but in the breathless football universe that is Dutch football, it's the poorest attack among the top five teams in the league.
The losses of Brian Brobbey and former Lyon winger Bertrand Traoré this summer will hardly have helped matters, but the team have also exhibited a more defensive approach under John Heitinga. The former Everton defender is a product of the club's academy, having played more than two hundred matches for them at senior level. He has faith in his team's solidity, but is also wary of the ability of Aubameyang, saying pre-match, "I played against him myself at Hertha BSC. He was at Borussia Dortmund back then. We have to defend very well as a team. We have to make sure he doesn't get the ball, and we have to protect the space behind."
Predicted lineups:
Olympique de Marseille (3-4-3): Rulli; Pavard, Aguerd, Balerdi; Weah, O'Riley, Højberg, Emerson; Greenwood, Aubameyang, Paixão
Ajax Amsterdam (4-3-3): Jaros; Gaaei, Itakura, Bas, Wijndal; Berghuis, Klaasen, Taylor; Moro, Gloukh, Godts
