THE last time Chelsea hosted Ajax at Stamford Bridge in the Champions League it was a thriller.
The Blues – who host the Dutch giants this week – scored two own goals but fought back from three down to earn a dramatic 4-4 draw.
Ajax had two players sent off within a minute and Frank Lampard was Chelsea’s manager at the time.
The Dutch side were packed with talent and most have gone on to have interesting careers – but one of them now finds himself locked up in jail.
During that 2019 clash, a Tammy Abraham own goal gave Ajax the lead before Jorginho equalised for Chelsea with a penalty.
Quincy Promes then headed Ajax ahead again from a Hakim Ziyech free kick.
HAVIN’ A BATH
Atletico file complaint against Arsenal after being left with COLD SHOWERS
The Amsterdam giants extended their lead to 3-1 in the 35th minute after Ziyech’s free kick from near the corner flag struck the far post, rebounded off Chelsea goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga and went into the net.
Chelsea came with purpose in the second half, looking to claw their way back into the game, with defender Kurt Zouma producing a superb, mazy run before blasting over the bar.
Then, against the run of play, Ajax scored a fourth just 10 minutes into the second half as Donny van de Beek finished off another Ziyech lay-off. It appeared the game was over.
However, Cesar Azpilicueta sparked the comeback with a cool finish to make it 4-2.
Most read in Champions League
BEST FREE BETS AND BETTING SIGN UP OFFERS
The match turned completely on its head in the 68th minute when Ajax lost Daley Blind to a second yellow card for a foul on Abraham.
Referee Gianluca Rocchi initially played advantage but then pulled the play back for a Joel Veltman handball in the box.
Veltman was also sent off and Jorginho calmly converted the resulting penalty to make it 4-3.
Reece James then made it 4-4, becoming Chelsea’s youngest-ever goalscorer in the Champions League.
In what was an epic night of football, SunSport takes a look at where that Ajax team is now…
Andre Onana – Trabzonspor
The Cameroonian keeper went on to play for Inter Milan, where he was considered one of the best in Europe. He then joined Manchester United but endured two difficult seasons marked by frequent mistakes. Onana is now on loan at Turkish side Trabzonspor.
Noussair Mazraoui – Manchester United
Part of Ajax’s golden generation, Mazraoui moved to Bayern Munich and played over 30 matches before signing for Manchester United. He’s had a solid career since that wild night in London.
Nicolas Tagliafico – Lyon
The Argentine left-back was tipped to be a star and has gone on to enjoy a steady career. He is now Lyon’s first-choice left-back, having played over 80 league games for the club.
Joel Veltman – Brighton & Hove Albion
Veltman hasn’t quite hit the very top but has carved out a respectable Premier League career at Brighton, becoming a reliable and experienced defender.
Daley Blind – Girona
A true journeyman, Blind had already been at Manchester United before returning to Ajax for four seasons. He then had a short stint at Bayern Munich and now plays for ambitious Spanish side Girona.
Donny van de Beek – Girona
Arguably one of the most disappointing cases from that golden Ajax side, Van de Beek earned a move to Manchester United but never found his feet.
Loan spells at Everton and Eintracht Frankfurt didn’t pan out either. Now at Girona, he seemed to be rediscovering form before suffering another season-ending injury.
Lisandro Martínez – Manchester United
Martinez played in midfield that night but is now a centre-back at Manchester United. However, recurring injuries over the past 15 months have limited his game time significantly.
David Neres – Napoli
Once tipped to be a breakout star, Neres has had a nomadic career. He’s played for Shakhtar Donetsk and Benfica but struggled for consistency. Now at Napoli, he hopes to finally settle and fulfil his potential.
Hakim Ziyech – Al Duhail
Ziyech now plays in Qatar for Al Duhail. Despite a somewhat turbulent time at Chelsea, he won the Champions League with the club.
After falling out with then-manager Thomas Tuchel, he moved to Galatasaray, where he won the Turkish Super Lig.
While talented, many feel he didn’t quite reach the heights expected of him. At 32, it’s safe to say his best days are behind him.
Quincy Promes – In Prison
Promes, who scored that night, is now serving time in prison. He first made headlines off the pitch when he was sentenced to 18 months for stabbing his cousin in the knee.
He avoided jail by moving to Russia to play for Spartak Moscow but was later charged with smuggling over a tonne of cocaine into the Netherlands.
After a brief stint at Dubai United, he was arrested and extradited. He is now serving a 7.5-year prison sentence.
Read more on the Scottish Sun
WINDY WARNING
Scots warned ‘potential storm’ could ‘pack punch’ as Met Office worst day
TOP OF THE SHOPS
Busy Scots shopping centre named UK’s ‘Retail Destination of the Year’
Dusan Tadic – Al Wahda
Tadic now plays in the UAE for Al Wahda. Before that night at Stamford Bridge, he had impressed at Southampton. After his time at Ajax, he joined Fenerbahce in Turkey before making the move to the Middle East.
Erik ten Hag – unemployed
Ten Hag was the manager of that Ajax team and he got his big break after being asked to manage Manchester United. But he was fired after three seasons. He joined Bayer Leverkusen who also sacked him after two league games.
