AFC Ajax

2002–03 season
Chairman	Michael van Praag
Manager	Ronald Koeman
Stadium	Amsterdam Arena
Eredivisie	2nd
KNVB Cup	Semi-finals
Champions League	Quarter-finals
Johan Cruyff Shield	Winners
Top goalscorer	Rafael van der Vaart (18)
Home colours Away colours
←  2001–02 2003–04 →

During the 2002–03 Dutch Football season, AFC Ajax competed in the Eredivisie.

Season summary

Despite being the top scorers in the Eredivisie, Ajax were unable to defend their title and finished second. They also failed to retain the cup, but compensated by reaching the Champions League quarter-finals before being knocked out by eventual winners A.C. Milan.

First-team squad

Squad at end of season ^[1]

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Pos. Nation Player 1 GK   ROU Bogdan Lobonț 2 DF   TUN Hatem Trabelsi 3 DF   NOR André Bergdølmo 4 DF   CZE Tomáš Galásek 5 DF   ROU Cristian Chivu 7 MF   NED Andy van der Meyde 8 MF   NED Richard Witschge 9 FW   SWE Zlatan Ibrahimović 10 MF   RSA Steven Pienaar 12 DF   NED John Heitinga 13 DF   BRA Maxwell 15 MF   NED Wesley Sneijder 16 DF   FIN Petri Pasanen 17 FW   BRA Wamberto

No. Pos. Nation Player 18 DF   USA John O'Brien 20 MF   FIN Jari Litmanen 21 GK   AUS Joey Didulica [2] 22 MF   GHA Abubakari Yakubu 23 MF   NED Rafael van der Vaart 24 DF   BEL Jelle van Damme 25 MF   CPV David Mendes da Silva (on loan from Sparta Rotterdam) 26 MF   NED Nigel de Jong 27 FW   NED Victor Sikora 28 MF   MAR Nourdin Boukhari 29 MF   NED Jamal Akachar 30 MF   NED Stefano Seedorf 31 GK   NED Maarten Stekelenburg 32 GK   NED Henk Timmer (on loan from AZ)

Left club during season

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Pos. Nation Player 6 MF   NED Aron Winter (retired) 11 FW   EGY Mido (on loan to Celta Vigo) 14 MF   NED Jan van Halst 19 FW   GRE Nikos Machlas (on loan to Sevilla)

No. Pos. Nation Player 15 DF   NED Tim de Cler (to AZ) 25 MF   COL Daniel Cruz (on loan to Germinal Beerschot) 20 FW   NED Cedric van der Gun (on loan to Willem II)

Reserve squad

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Pos. Nation Player — DF   NED Mitchell Piqué

No. Pos. Nation Player

Transfers

In

Out

• Richard Knopper
• Fred Grim
• Ferdi Vierklau

Results

UEFA Champions League

Second group stage

Valencia v Ajax

27 November 2002	Valencia	1–1	Ajax	Valencia, Spain
20:45	Angulo 90'	Report	Ibrahimović 89'	Stadium: Estadio Mestalla Attendance: 48,000 Referee: Gilles Veissière ( France)

Ajax v Roma

10 December 2002	Ajax	2–1	Roma	Amsterdam, Netherlands
20:45	Ibrahimović 11' Litmanen 66'	Report	Batistuta 89'	Stadium: Amsterdam Arena Attendance: 50,148 Referee: Markus Merk ( Germany)

Arsenal v Ajax

18 February 2003	Arsenal	1–1	Ajax	London, England
20:45	Wiltord 5'	Report	De Jong 17'	Stadium: Highbury Attendance: 35,427 Referee: Lucílio Batista ( Portugal)

Ajax v Arsenal

26 February 2003	Ajax	0–0	Arsenal	Amsterdam, Netherlands
20:45		Report		Stadium: Amsterdam Arena Attendance: 51,500 Referee: Valentin Ivanov ( Russia)

Ajax v Valencia

11 March 2003	Ajax	1–1	Valencia	Amsterdam, Netherlands
20:45	Pasanen 56'	Report	González 28' ( pen.)	Stadium: Amsterdam Arena Referee: Ľuboš Micheľ ( Slovakia)

Roma v Ajax

19 March 2003	Roma	1–1	Ajax	Rome, Italy
20:45	Cassano 23'	Report	Van der Meyde 1'	Stadium: Stadio Olimpico Attendance: 62,000 Referee: Herbert Fandel ( Germany)

References