Can Dmitri Bulykin lead http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/AFC-Ajax-c38228 Amsterdam to European glory? Dutch Eredivisie special
Ajax Amsterdam managed to lure http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/RSC-Anderlecht-c40394 on the final day of the recently concluded summer transfer window, to provide cover to their earlier acquisition, Kolbeinn Sigthorsson. The 31-year-old attracted interest from a number of
elite European clubs following his exceptional performances during his loan spell at http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/ADO-Den-Haag-c38221 in the 2010/11 campaign. But the veteran striker preferred to pursue his career at Amsterdam Arena.
The former Russian International’s desire to play for the Dutch champions can be understood rather easily. Nearing the twilight of his career, he wants to win silverware. The striker wants to play and succeed in the Europe’s elite club competition, UEFA
Champions League, this season.
The Amsterdam giants’ last European triumph came in the summer of 1995 when they defeated AC Milan in the Champions League final played at Ernst-Happel-Stadion. Since then, the Amsterdammers have struggled to make an impact on continental stage, they made
it to the final in 1996 but were bettered by http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Marcelo-c23554 Lippi’s Juventus.
Turning back the history pages reveal an interesting insight about the reasons behind Ajax’s success in those days. De Joden had a strong back-line and a solid midfield, but the fact that remains undeniable in their historic win was the partnership formed
between striker Patrick Kluivert and attacking midfielder http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Jari-Litmanen-c17896. The duo played an important part in De Joden winning the big-eared trophy and the league title.
Kluivert scored an impressive 21 goals in 37 appearances in all competitions, but Litmanen went one step better with statistics of 27 strikes in 42 games. The duo’s partnership during their three seasons together at Amsterdam Arena was a terrifying force
for any opponent. Litmanen scored 39 league goals in his three-season stay in Amsterdam but the midfielder massively profited from the striker’s intelligent play upfront.
Since 1997, when Kluivert switched to AC Milan, the Eredivisie giants have not managed to forge a similar partnership upfront.
Though http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Klaas-Jan-Huntelaar-c21175 and Luis Suarez all led De Joden attacking lines dominantly in the last decade, they were still unable to make a mark in Europe. The performances on the domestic front were better, though not by a margin, as
Ajax only won three league titles since their Eredivisie triumph in the 1997/98 season.
Bulykin netted an impressive 21 goals for a hapless ADO last term while providing five valuable assists as well. His impressive record suggests that Ajax’s chances of defending their title have received a boost with his arrival, but a triumph in Europe’s
most prestigious club competition remains a distant dream at this point.
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