With little to separate Ajax and Benfica after the first leg, the two sides will face off on March 15 at the Johan Cruijff ArenA in Amsterdam with a spot in the UEFA Champions League quarterfinals up for grabs.
The two sides played out a 2-2 draw in an action-packed first leg in Lisbon, and with away goals scrapped from this season onwards, the game is poised for a fascinating denouement.
Ajax are unbeaten in their last three fixtures against Benfica (2 wins, 1 draw) and have suffered just one defeat since the 2-1 loss to AZ Alkmaar back in December.
The Dutch giants have, however, suffered a dip in form in recent weeks. Erik ten Hag’s side needed a last-minute penalty from Dusan Tadić to beat RKC Waalwijk before eking out a 3-2 win over Caambur, courtesy of Ryan Gravenberch’s scintillating strike.
That said, Ajax have historically clicked into gear when the stakes are high.
All eyes will be on Ajax’s Sebastian Haller, who scored exactly half of the club’s goals in a flawless group stage run. The 27-year-old striker has racked up 11 goals in the Champions League so far, a tally only bettered by Bayern Munich hitman Robert Lewandowski.
