Olympique Marseille delivered a crushing 4-0 victory over Dutch giants Ajax, inflicting the Amsterdam side’s heaviest defeat in European competition.
Ahead of the clash, Ajax head coach John Heitinga had promised “courageous and audacious football,” opting to deploy Oscar Gloukh in a false nine role due to the injuries of Kasper Dolberg and Wout Weghorst.
Marseille boss Roberto de Zerbi, meanwhile, unleashed Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, who had already netted six times in three previous encounters with Ajax—alongside ex-Feyenoord winger Igor Paixao.
The French side wasted no time in exposing Ajax’s rigid man-marking. In just the sixth minute, a long delivery from centre-back Nayef Aguerd was flicked on by Aubameyang, setting up Paixao in a one-on-one. Ajax goalkeeper Viteszlav Jaros stood helpless as the Brazilian calmly opened the scoring.
Six minutes later, Paixao struck again, this time unleashing a superb effort from distance to double the advantage.
Things unraveled further for the visitors before the half-hour mark when Mason Greenwood capitalized on defensive disarray. Aubameyang slid him into open space, and the Englishman coolly made it 3-0.
Ajax looked bereft of ideas, their only contribution in the opening half a speculative 35-metre attempt from Steven Berghuis that was easily blocked.
Any faint hopes of a turnaround were snuffed out early in the second half. Within ten seconds of Marseille defending a deep free-kick, Aubameyang raced through on goal and calmly slotted past Jaros to make it four.
With the contest effectively decided, Marseille eased off the intensity, allowing Ajax to finally carve out chances. Oliver Edvardsen, Kenneth Taylor, and Mika Godts all went close, but none could break the deadlock for the visitors.
The 4-0 scoreline matched Ajax’s worst Champions League away defeats, previously recorded against Barcelona in 2013 and Bayern Munich in 2004.
Heitinga, under mounting pressure, now faces a pivotal domestic clash at Sparta Rotterdam before Ajax resume European duties against Chelsea in London on October 22.
Marseille, on the other hand, celebrated their third straight win in the competition and will look to extend their form when they travel to face Sporting Portugal.
