Ajax v Paris St-Germain: Ibra-fuelled visitors to flourish

Zlatan Ibrahimovic is averaging over a goal a game in 2014/15

Paris St-Germain aren't in top form, but they are unbeaten, a fact that Zlatan Ibrahimovic will help maintain...

Ajax v Paris St-Germain
Wednesday, 19:45
Live on Sky Sports Red Button

Match Odds: Ajax 5.39/2, Paris St-Germain 1.784/5, The Draw 4.03/1

One of the charming foibles of the Champions League is that while some teams collide almost every season - for instance Arsenal and Borussia Dortmund, or Man City and Bayern Munich - there are still high-profile fixtures in which you are astounded to discover that the pair have never met before.

Last term, it was Ajax and Barcelona, two clubs with an interlocked narrative and a great amount in common but no head-to-head history. This year, it is two very different beasts confronting each other for the first time: academy-entrusting Ajax and chequebook-constructed Paris St-Germain.

Both sides have failed to produce their best work in the early weeks of this campaign. Ajax have lost two of their first five Eredivisie outings and the Johan Cruyff Shield to Zwolle, while Paris St-Germain have drawn three of their opening five Ligue 1 encounters.

Neither will be too concerned having made a habit of lukewarm domestic starts in recent years, though the French capital club have been far more convincing than their Dutch counterparts at awakening in time to succeed in their Champions League group.

Les Parisiens won five of their six group ties in 2012/13 and each of their initial three in 2013/14 so have to be fancied against a team who, despite winning the competition four times, haven't reached the knockout phase since nine seasons ago.

Admittedly, Frank de Boer's men have won a not-entirely-hideous six of their past 13 Champions League games at the Amsterdam ArenA, yet they didn't triumph in their first of the campaign in any of their four prior attempts this decade.

By contrast, Paris St-Germain have prevailed in six of their previous nine continental road trips, and four in five during the group stage.

To Score

Zlatan Ibrahimovic has unsurprisingly proven immune to Paris St-Germain's mediocre start, striking seven times in five appearances, and he also fired on his most recent return to Amsterdam with AC Milan at this stage in 2010, netting the equaliser in a 1-1 draw.

Opta note that Ibra's career tally of 41 Champions League goals is bettered only by Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo and Didier Drogba of this season's participants.

Best Bet: Back Paris St-Germain to win @ 1.784/5
Other Recommended Bet: Back Zlatan Ibrahimovic to score @ 2.111/10