UEFA EUROPA LEAGUE - 2014/15 SEASON MATCH PRESS KITS (First leg: 0-1) Amsterdam ArenA - Amsterdam Thursday 19 March 2015 AFC Ajax 21.05CET (21.05 local time) FC Dnipro Dnipropetrovsk Round of 16, Second leg Last updated 02/06/2015 04:07CET Match background 2 Legend 4 1 AFC Ajax - FC Dnipro Dnipropetrovsk Thursday 19 March 2015 - 21.05CET (21.05 local time) Match press kit Amsterdam ArenA, Amsterdam Match background The only domestic champions left in this season's UEFA Europa League, AFC Ajax must overturn a 1-0 deficit at home against an FC Dnipro Dnipropetrovsk side bidding to reach the last eight in this competition for the first time. What they say Frank de Boer, Ajax coach: "It's going to be a tough job to reach the quarter-finals. The main focus will be scoring the first goal, but we have to beware of our opponents, because they will be waiting for us to make mistakes. We have to be fully focused, keep the ball moving and play our own game. We want to give our opponents the feeling that they don't stand a chance and can't draw breath until the final whistle." Olexandr Ivanov, Dnipro assistant coach: "It is a very big thing playing against Ajax in a crowded stadium with a great atmosphere. Our opponents will be aggressive and will put us under a lot of pressure because they need a goal. We are fully prepared, although we are missing an important player in each line [defence, midfield and attack]. Other players can prove themselves. We can make history tomorrow!" *Dnipro coach Myron Markevych is ill and has remained in Ukraine Previous meetings • Dnipro and Ajax met for the first time in UEFA competition in the first leg, Roman Zozulya's 30th-minute goal the difference between the two sides. • Ajax beat FC Dynamo Kyiv 2-1 in their only previous home game against Ukrainian opponents, a result which would see them eliminated if it is repeated against Dnipro. • Dnipro have yet to lose in three games in the Netherlands (W2 D1), scoring two goals in each game (2-2, 2-1, 2-1). Form guide • Ajax have won their last two European home games without conceding. • Dnipro have lost twice in their six European away games this season (W1 D3 L2). • Ajax have not made it to the round of 16 since 2010/11, when they lost out to FC Spartak Moskva. The last time they reached the quarter-finals of this competition – in 1997/98 – they also bowed out to Spartak. • Dnipro have reached the round of 16 of this competition for the first time. Their biggest European successes were making it to the quarter-finals of the 1984/85 and 1989/90 European Champion Clubs' Cups. Trivia and links • Of the sides left in the competition, Dnipro have committed the most fouls this season: 158 in total. They are also the most fouled side, with 152 infringements against them. • Ajax (1992) are among five former UEFA Cup and UEFA Europa League winners in the round of 16 along with SSC Napoli (1989), FC Internazionale Milano (1991, 1994, 1998), holders Sevilla FC (2006, 2007, 2014) and FC Zenit (2008). • Ajax are the only reigning domestic champions in the round of 16. Six others were eliminated in the round of 32: Legia Warszawa (Poland), Aalborg BK (Denmark), FC Salzburg (Austria), Celtic FC (Scotland), Olympiacos FC (Greece) and RSC Anderlecht (Belgium). • Ajax's Arkadiusz Milik is one of six Polish nationals left in the competition who still have the chance of a dramatic homecoming when the UEFA Europa League final takes place in Warsaw on 27 May. • Ajax midfielder Lasse Schöne turns 29 on the day of the UEFA Europa League final. The coaches • Ajax coach since 2010, Frank de Boer claimed five league titles, the UEFA Cup and the UEFA Champions League as a player with the Amsterdam club, with the defender and his twin brother Ronald then scooping a Spanish championship at Barcelona in 1998/99. He has now steered his old team to four straight Eredivisie crowns. • Dnipro coach since May 2014, Myron Markevych started out as a midfielder with home-town club FC Karpaty Lviv. While his playing career was not a huge success, he served Karpaty in four spells as a coach before a lengthy stint at FC Metalist Kharkiv earned him a reputation for attacking football. He briefly coached Ukraine in 2010. Penalty shoot-outs • Ajax's record in six UEFA competition penalty shoot-outs is W1 L5 (W0 L0 at home): 3-5 v PFC Levski Sofia (A), 1975/76 UEFA Cup third round 0-3 v Juventus (A), 1977/78 European Champion Clubs' Cup quarter-final 2-4 v Bohemians 1905 (A), 1984/85 UEFA Cup second round 2 AFC Ajax - FC Dnipro Dnipropetrovsk Thursday 19 March 2015 - 21.05CET (21.05 local time) Match press kit Amsterdam ArenA, Amsterdam 4-3 v Grêmio FBPA (N), 1995 European/South American Cup final 2-4 v Juventus (N), 1995/96 UEFA Champions League final 2-4 v FC Steaua Bucureşti (A), 2012/13 UEFA Europa League round of 32 • Dnipro's record in one UEFA competition penalty shoot-out is W0 L1 (W0 L0 away from home): 3-5 v FC Girondins de Bordeaux (H), 1984/85 European Champion Clubs' Cup quarter-final 3 AFC Ajax - FC Dnipro Dnipropetrovsk Thursday 19 March 2015 - 21.05CET (21.05 local time) Match press kit Amsterdam ArenA, Amsterdam Legend Competitions Club competitions National team competitions UCL: UEFA Champions League EURO: UEFA European Football Championship ECCC: European Champion Clubs' Cup WC: FIFA World Cup UEL: UEFA Europa League CONFCUP: FIFA Confederations Cup UCUP: UEFA Cup FRIE: Friendly internationals UCWC: UEFA Cup Winners' Cup U21FRIE: Under-21 friendly internationals SCUP: UEFA Super Cup U21: UEFA European Under-21 Championship UIC: UEFA Intertoto Cup U17: UEFA Under-17 Championship ICF: Inter-Cities Fairs Cup U16: UEFA European Under-16 Championship U19: UEFA Under-19 Championship U18: UEFA European Under-18 Championship WWC: FIFA Women's World Cup WEURO: UEFA European Women's Championship Competition stages Other abbreviations F: Final GS: Group stage (aet): After extra time pens: Penalties GS1: First group stage GS2: Second group stage No.: Number og: Own goal 3QR: Third qualifying round R1: First round ag: Match decided on away P: Penalty R2: Second round R3: Third round goals agg: Aggregate R4: Fourth round PR: Preliminary round Pld: Matches played AP: Appearances SF: Semi-finals QF: Quarter-finals Pos.: Position Comp.: Competition R16: round of 16 QR: Qualifying round Pts: Points D: Drawn R32: Round of 32 1QR: First qualifying round R: Sent off (straight red card) DoB: Date of birth 1st: first leg 2QR: Second qualifying Res.: Result ET: Extra Time round sg: Match decided by silver GA: Goals against 2nd: second leg FT: Final tournament goal t: Match decided by toss of a PO: Play-off ELITE: Elite round coin Rep: Replay 3rdPO: Third-place play-off GF: Goals for W: Won PO - FT: Play-off for Final GS-FT: Group stage – final gg: Match decided by golden Y: Booked Tournament tournament goal L: Lost Y/R: Sent off (two yellow Nat.: Nationality cards) N/A: Not applicable f: Match forfeited Statistics -: Denotes player substituted +: Denotes player introduced *: Denotes player sent off +/-: Denotes player introduced and substituted Squad list D: Disciplinary *: Misses next match if booked S: Suspended QUAL: All UEFA qualifiers UEL: Current season total UEFA Europa League appearances from the group stage onwards prior to the current matchday UEL: Total appearances in the UEFA Europa League, group stage to final only UEFA: All-time total appearances in UEFA club competition including qualifying Disclaimer: Although UEFA has taken all reasonable care that the information contained within this document is accurate at the time of publication, no representation or guarantee (including liability towards third parties), expressed or implied, is made as to its accuracy, reliability or completeness. Therefore, UEFA assumes no liability for the use or interpretation of information contained herein. More information can be found in the competition regulations available on UEFA.com. 4.