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Ajax coach rates side's chances at 30 per cent

AJAX coach Louis van Gall continues to play down the chances of the defending European Cup champions overcoming a 1-0 first leg…

Wed Apr 17 1996 - 01:00

AJAX coach Louis van Gall continues to play down the chances of the defending European Cup champions overcoming a 1-0 first leg deficit against Panathinaikos in the second leg of the semi final in Athens today.

"The goal advantage means that they don't have to attack.

They have to defend as they did in Amsterdam and we all know they defend very well," he said.

"We are the underdogs because we are not in good shape and Panathinaikos are." Van Gaal said that realistically Ajax had only a 30 per cent chance of winning.

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Ajax will be without striker Patrick Kluivert, who has scored five goals during the tournament this season. Kluivert injured a knee in a league match last weekend and Van Gaal said he would replace him with Jari Litmanen. "Kluivert is now being operated on and he will be out of action for about six to eight weeks."

Asked how he felt about Ajax being underdogs after dominating European soccer, van Gaal said. "Not so well, I would have preferred being the favourites, being the arrogant coach that everybody says I am."

Panathinaikos look likely to be without injured libero Marinos Ozounides while striker Alexis Alexoudis is out for the season with a knee injury.

French champions Xantes will be seeking inspiration from Bordeaux as they attempt to overcome a two goal deficit against Juventus in tonight's second semi final.

French teams have thrown off their traditional complex against Italian sides this season with Bordeaux overturning a 2-0 deficit to knock out AC Milan, Paris St Germain beating Parma in the Cup Winners' Cup and Lyon removing Lazio from the UFFA Cup.

Juventus have French mid fielder Didier Deschamps back from suspension to play at a Beaujoire stadium he knows well having started his career in Nantes. Juventus's only absentee is defender Moreno Torricelli, who is suspended.

Chad midfielder Japhet N'Doram, the undoubted star of the Nantes team, is still doubtful and faces a late test on an ankle injury but Claude Makelele should be back on the right flank. Nantes are without three players through suspension winger Reynald Pedros, full back Serge Le Dizet and midfielder Bruno Carotti.