Four-time European champions Ajax Amsterdam find themselves among the pre-qualifiers for the Champions League this year as Dutch football pays the price for its declining record in continental competition.
Manchester City's spending of more than 180 million pounds ($223.58 million) was the second-biggest outlay ever worldwide by a club in the January transfer window.
Former European champions Ajax Amsterdam and Celtic, who both suffered the indignity of being knocked of the Champions League qualifiers by underdogs this season, will meet in the Europa Leagueafter being drawn together in the group stage on Friday.
Liverpool will take on LASK, Union Saint-Gilloise and Toulouse in the Europa League group stage while debutants Brighton & Hove Albion will face Ajax Amsterdam and Olympique de Marseille following the draw on Friday.
Netherlands Coach Marco Van Basten named a 23-men squad on Sunday for next month's World Cup finals in Germany.
Ajax, semi-finalists last season, came from behind to beat PAOK 3-2 for a 5-4 aggregate win over the Greeks while Red Star knocked out FC Copenhagen on penalties after a bizarre shootout involving 22 spot-kicks.
'It's a nightmare, like a dream that went bad'
Lazio, who had won all four previous games, were held to a frustrating scoreless draw by a Bulgarian side who came to defend.
Ajax were joined by Young Boys, who stunned Dinamo Zagreb 2-1 away for a 3-2 aggregate win over the Croatians, and AEK Athens who scraped a 1-1 home draw with FC Vidi after a 2-1 win in the first leg in Hungary.
Ajax Amsterdam registered a 4-1 win at De Graafschap, their first title since 2014 and a record-extending 34th overall completed the double after they won the KNVB Cup earlier this month.
'It was a long career, really long, thank you to everyone who gave me the strength, the adrenaline and the emotion to continue.'
Unstoppable Bayern Munich forward Robert Lewandowski scored a hat-trick, taking his tally to 10 goals in five Bundesliga games, as the defending champions thumped hapless Eintracht Frankfurt 5-0 on Saturday.
A summary of sports events and sports persons, who made news on Sunday
Images from the Champions League matches played on Wednesday
Barcelona need to avoid getting sucked into the Spanish obsession with El Clasico when they face Ajax Amsterdam in the Champions League on Tuesday.
UEFA has not detected any irregular betting patterns in Wednesday's Champions League matches to justify an enquiry, the European governing body said on Thursday.
There was eye-catching sports action the world over and we summarise it all in this breathtaking photo feature...
The return leg will be played at Ajax's Johan Cruyff Arena on May 8.
Defending champions Bayern Munich must face Diego Simeone's Atletico Madrid after they were drawn together in Champions League Group A alongside Salzburg and Lokomotiv Moscow.
Brighton secured their second victory of the competition with a comfortable win at Ajax thanks to goals from Ansu Fati and Simon Adingra.
Holders Real Madrid were sensationally knocked out of the Champions League on Tuesday after being thrashed 4-1 at home by an outstanding Ajax Amsterdam who overturned a first-leg deficit to reach the quarter-finals 5-3 on aggregate.
The return fixtures will be played on May 11 and the final in Stockholm on May 24.
Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag will remain in the job for next season and has entered into talks with the Old Trafford club over a contract extension
It was a dramatic night at the Champions League as Barcelona's Anssumane Fati -- 17 years and 40 days old - became the youngest to net a goal in the competition. Last season's semi-finalists, Ajax were eliminated by Valencia while Napoli's coach Ancelotti was shown the door despite the team's progress. Here are Images from the Champions League matches played on Tuesday
AC Milan have made a habit of muddling through under coach Massimiliano Allegri and they did it again on Wednesday by scraping into the Champions League knockout stage with a performance which left opponents Ajax Amsterdam fuming.
Erik ten Hag will succeed interim boss Ralf Rangnick from next seaso
The draw also produced a clash between two former European champions with AC Milan facing Serbia's Red Star Belgrade while French league leaders Lille face Ajax Amsterdam in a fascinating tie.
Wayne Rooney said he would pick Paris St Germain boss Mauricio Pochettino over Ajax Amsterdam manager Erik ten Hag to take over his former club Manchester United.
Liverpool draw Sparta Prague in Europa League last 16
Newcastle United completed the signing of Ajax Amsterdam midfielder Vurnon Anita on Thursday with the Dutch international hopeful his new club can end their 43-year trophyless spell.
IMAGES from the UEFA Champions League matches played on Wednesday.
A round-up of Tuesday's action in the UEFA Champions League.
Uruguay forward Luis Suarez completed his move to five-times European champions Liverpool from Ajax Amsterdam on Monday, the Premier League club said.
Real Madrid will seek inspiration from their former midfielder and France World Cup winner Zinedine Zidane for Tuesday's Champions League match at Ajax Amsterdam, according to Xabi Alonso.
'We said we had 45 minutes to give everything. I'm a fan first and foremost and I know how much it means to the club'
Jose Mourinho's quest for a unique Champions League hat-trick began in style with Real Madrid on Wednesday, the nine-time winners beating Ajax Amsterdam 2-0 on a night of commanding wins for the main contenders.
Hamburg led a trio of former European champions into the UEFA Cup knockout phase on Thursday and previous winners Valencia also secured a last 32 place. Aston Villa and Ajax Amsterdam progressed from Group F along with Hamburg, whose 2-0 victory at Slavia Prague meant Villa qualified despite a 2-1 home defeat by Slovakia's Zilina.
Manchester United's Paul Pogba and Henrikh Mkhitaryan scored a goal in each half as their team comfortably outclassed Ajax Amsterdam to win an emotional Europa League final 2-0 and qualify for the group stages of the Champions League.
UEFA said the Portuguese would face a hearing on Thursday for "improper conduct" during the last-16 second leg match, where Juventus completed a 3-2 aggregate win.
AZ Alkmaar clinched their second Dutch championship after Ajax Amsterdam failed to beat PSV Eindhoven on Sunday.
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