Ajax Amsterdam are hoping home success against Benfica in the Champions League on Tuesday can galvanise a season that has set off alarm bells and is threatening to be one of their worst.

The Dutch giants, who fired coach John Heitinga at the start of the month, share with Benfica the unwanted distinction of having lost all four of their group matches this season, with the pair, who both have a distinguished history in European club competition, propping up the 36-team table.

Ajax are also struggling domestically and go into Tuesday’s match at the Johan Cruyff Arena having lost on Saturday to Excelsior Rotterdam for the first time at home in club history and slipping to sixth in the Eredivisie standings, with a gap of 14 points to league leaders PSV.

They have collected a single point fr

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