Ajax and PSV compete for place in the Europa League Round of 16

Both Ajax and PSV will be competing on Thursday for a place in this season's Europa League Round of 16. The Amsterdam club will go into their away match against 1. FC Union Berlin after a 0-0 draw at home. PSV will start their home match in a more difficult position after last week's 3-0 defeat at Sevilla.

Ajax coach John Heitinga said earlier that he expected Edson Álvarez to be available for the match as part of the starting eleven. The Mexican player unfortunately landed on his shoulder during the home game against Sparta Rotterdam on Sunday, and has not participated in a complete training session since.

Trainer Ruud van Nistelrooij and midfielder Ibrahim Sangaré will also return to PSV. They were absent during the match against FC Utrecht on Sunday because they were ill. It is unclear whether Sangaré is fit enough to begin as a starter.

The match between PSV and Sevilla starts at 6:45 p.m. in Eindhoven. Ajax and Union Berlin kick off at 9 p.m. Feyenoord has already qualified for the Round of 16 in this year's Europa League.

Ajax will have the support of 1,100 fans in the away section at Stadion An der Alten Försterei in Berlin. An unknown number of fans also showed up in Germany's capital without a ticket.