Ajax: Struggling Dutch giants suffer record loss to rivals Feyenoord in Eredivisie
- Published
Ajax, 36-time Dutch champions, have endured a difficult season on and off the field
Ajax's turbulent campaign hit a new low as they suffered a record 6-0 loss to rivals Feyenoord in the Eredivisie.
Reigning champions Feyenoord recorded 30 shots to Ajax's one as they scored three goals in both halves to earn a famous win in the Dutch 'Klassieker'.
It is the first time Ajax have lost a competitive match by a six-goal margin.
The defeat leaves them sixth - 15 points adrift of the top three and with their Champions League hopes effectively over with five games left.
Feyenoord wingers Igor Paixao and Yankuba Minteh both scored twice, beginning when Minteh quickly followed up his Brazilian team-mate's 34th-minute opener.
Centre-back David Hancko then put the hosts - second in the table but nine points behind league leaders PSV Eindhoven - in complete control before half-time.
Three goals in 10 second-half minutes from Gambian striker Minteh, Quinten Timber and Paixao left four-time European champions Ajax - for whom England midfielder Jordan Henderson was absent - staring at further humiliation after 66 minutes.
Arne Slot's side had to settle for that total, though, as Feyenoord had a seventh ruled out for offside.
But the six-goal success was a record margin of victory for Feyenoord against their biggest rivals - topping a 9-4 win in 1964.
Ajax made their worst-ever start to a Dutch top-flight season, briefly falling to the foot of the table.
Fan frustration also boiled over as crowd trouble marred September's 4-0 home defeat to Feyenoord.
On Tuesday, the club announced they were suspending chairman Alex Kroes on suspicion of insider trading.