Ajax disappointing campaign hit a new low after they were beaten 6-0 away at rivals Feyenoord on Sunday — a biggest defeat in 97 years.
The hosts stormed into a 3-0 lead in the first half thanks to goals from Igor Paixao, Yankuba Minteh, who is on loan from Newcastle United, and David Hancko.
Minteh and Paixao also scored in the second half as did Netherlands international Quinten Timber to complete the demolition at De Kuip.
The defeat is Ajax’s eighth of the season, leaving the Dutch club in sixth place and seven points off a European qualification position.
Ajax have endured a hugely difficult year including a number of coaches as well as a 10-game winless run which left them at the foot of Eredivisie in November, 25 points behind rivals and league leaders PSV.
John Heitinga, Maurice Steijn, Hedwiges Maduro, and John van’t Schip have all managed the club this season.
They were knocked out of the KNVB Cup by USV Heracles in December and the Europa Conference League by Aston Villa in March.
Former Liverpool captain Jordan Henderson, who joined Ajax from Saudi Pro League side Al Ettifaq in January, missed the defeat to Feyenoord.
They are next in action against FC Twente on April 14.
‘This just the start of Ajax’s deep-rooted issues’
Analysis from Jacob Whitehead at De Kuip
The 6-0 defeat to their greatest rivals ends a five day stretch which is amongst the worst in Ajax’s history. On Tuesday, new CEO Alex Kroes, who had only been in the post for 19 days, was suspended for suspected insider trading.
On Thursday, the club conceded a last-minute equaliser to mid-table Go Ahead Eagles. One day after that, it was revealed that chairman Michael van Praag, who had heavily criticised Kroes in a press conference, had failed to declare several of his own shares in the club.
Then, on Sunday, came this final humiliation on the largest of stages, in front of 47,000 fans of their bitterest rivals.
At half-time, Ajax had held just 39 per cent of possession. Johan Cruyff’s famous 2010 newspaper column ‘This is Ajax no more’ was already being dusted off — before matters worsened in the second-half. Feyenoord had 29 shots to Ajax’s one.
They are sixth in the Eredivisie and will miss out on the Champions League for a second successive season — but their league position is just the start of their deep-rooted issues.
(ANP via Getty Images)
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