HNK Hajduk Split vs Ajax: Five Injuries for Ajax
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HNK Hajduk Split host Ajax at Stadion Poljud in Split on Thursday, 15 October 2026, in Matchweek 1 of the UEFA Europa Conference League, with the visiting side missing five first-team regulars.
Ajax travel without five injured players
The visitors arrive in Split with significant gaps in their squad. Anton Gaaei, Caio Henrique, Daley Blind, Kasper Dolberg, and Steven Berghuis are all ruled out through injury. Despite those personnel losses, Ajax maintain heavy firepower in attack, led by Davy Klaassen, who has scored 7 goals in all competitions this season.
Ajax have averaged 2.83 expected goals per game across their last five matches with underlying data, while conceding 1.38. In domestic play, their results have been mixed: after consecutive 5-1 victories over Fortuna Sittard on 12 September and Willem II on 15 September, they drew 2-2 with Excelsior on 19 September and 1-1 against NEC Nijmegen on 10 October.
HNK Hajduk Split score 14 goals in four European games
The home side reached the league stage through an attack-minded qualifying campaign, scoring 14 goals across four matches. They opened qualifying with a 5-2 away win over FK Zalgiris Vilnius on 6 August 2026 and followed it with a 4-0 home victory on 13 August. In the next round against Raków Częstochowa, they drew 2-2 at Stadion Poljud on 20 August before winning 3-2 in the away leg on 27 August.
HNK Hajduk Split deal with their own injury problems ahead of Thursday's kickoff. Adrion Pajaziti, Ivica Ivušić, and Roko Brajković are all unavailable. Their primary challenge will be tightening a defence that conceded four goals over two legs against Raków Częstochowa and previously lost 4-0 away to Pafos on 30 July.
Our model firmly expects an Ajax win
Our model firmly expects an Ajax win in this opening matchweek fixture. The forecast reflects the Dutch side's potent attacking output, highlighted by 2.83 expected goals created per game and Davy Klaassen's 7 goals this season. While injuries to Blind, Berghuis, and Dolberg stretch squad depth and HNK Hajduk Split proved prolific in their qualifying ties, Ajax possess superior underlying chance metrics heading into Split.