# 2011–12 AFC Ajax season

During the 2011–12 season AFC Ajax participated in the Eredivisie, the KNVB Cup, the UEFA Champions League and the UEFA Europa League. The first training took place on 27 June 2011. The traditional AFC Ajax Open Day will be held on 3 August 2011, followed by a testimonial match for the retired former Ajax goalkeeper Edwin van der Sar.
Ajax's U19 squad will play in the inaugural tournament of the NextGen series.

## Pre-season

The first training for the 2011–12 season was held on 27 June 2011. In preparation for the new season Ajax organized a trainingsstage in Fürth, Germany. The squad from manager Frank de Boer stayed there from 11 July 2011 to 16 July 2011. During this training stage, friendly matches were played against Jahn Regensburg and 1. FC Nürnberg. Further friendly matches were played against VV Buitenpost, AZSV Aalten, FC Emmen, Brøndby and Independiente.

## Player statistics

Appearances for competitive matches only
| No. | Pos | Nat | Player | Total | Total | Eredivisie | Eredivisie | UEFA Champions League UEFA Europa League | UEFA Champions League UEFA Europa League | KNVB Cup Johan Cruijff-schaal XVI | KNVB Cup Johan Cruijff-schaal XVI |
| No. | Pos | Nat | Player | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals |
| 1 | GK | NED | Kenneth Vermeer | 42 | 0 | 33 | 0 | 8 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 2 | DF | NED | Gregory van der Wiel | 28 | 3 | 19+1 | 2 | 6 | 1 | 1+1 | 0 |
| 3 | DF | BEL | Toby Alderweireld | 40 | 3 | 29 | 1 | 7 | 1 | 4 | 1 |
| 4 | MF | BEL | Jan Vertonghen | 42 | 10 | 31 | 8 | 8 | 0 | 3 | 2 |
| 5 | MF | NED | Vurnon Anita | 44 | 2 | 30+3 | 2 | 7+1 | 0 | 2+1 | 0 |
| 6 | MF | CMR | Eyong Enoh | 29 | 0 | 14+8 | 0 | 4+1 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| 7 | FW | SRB | Miralem Sulejmani | 32 | 12 | 21+1 | 11 | 8 | 1 | 2 | 0 |
| 8 | MF | DEN | Christian Eriksen | 44 | 8 | 33 | 7 | 8 | 1 | 2+1 | 0 |
| 9 | FW | ISL | Kolbeinn Sigþórsson | 17 | 7 | 8+6 | 7 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 10 | FW | NED | Siem de Jong | 40 | 17 | 30 | 13 | 6 | 1 | 4 | 3 |
| 11 | FW | NED | Lorenzo Ebecilio | 27 | 6 | 9+12 | 6 | 2+3 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 13 | DF | NED | André Ooijer | 12 | 2 | 4+5 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2+1 | 0 |
| 15 | DF | DEN | Nicolai Boilesen | 7 | 0 | 3+1 | 0 | 1+1 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 16 | MF | NED | Theo Janssen | 38 | 7 | 29 | 7 | 6 | 0 | 3 | 0 |
| 17 | DF | NED | Daley Blind | 26 | 0 | 16+5 | 0 | 1+2 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| 18 | MF | URU | Nicolás Lodeiro | 19 | 3 | 5+8 | 2 | 3+2 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| 19 | FW | RUS | Dmitry Bulykin | 26 | 10 | 5+14 | 9 | 1+3 | 0 | 2+1 | 1 |
| 20 | DF | URU | Bruno Silva | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 21 | MF | NED | Derk Boerrigter | 23 | 10 | 15+2 | 7 | 4 | 1 | 1+1 | 2 |
| 22 | GK | NED | Jasper Cillessen | 7 | 0 | 1+3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 |
| 23 | FW | ARM | Aras Özbiliz | 16 | 2 | 10+2 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 1+1 | 0 |
| 24 | FW | MAR | Mounir El Hamdaoui | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 25 | MF | RSA | Thulani Serero | 10 | 0 | 0+7 | 0 | 0+2 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 28 | MF | MAR | Ismaïl Aissati | 18 | 2 | 10+6 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 29 | MF | BEL | Mats Rits | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 30 | GK | NED | Jeroen Verhoeven | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 31 | DF | NED | Ruben Ligeon | 4 | 0 | 1+2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 33 | MF | NED | Joeri de Kamps | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 34 | DF | NED | Ricardo van Rhijn | 16 | 0 | 10+3 | 0 | 1+1 | 0 | 0+1 | 0 |
| 37 | FW | COD | Jody Lukoki | 11 | 2 | 3+3 | 2 | 0+3 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| 39 | FW | NED | Davy Klaassen | 7 | 1 | 1+3 | 1 | 0+3 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 41 | FW | NED | Lesley de Sa | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0+1 | 1 |
| 42 | DF | NED | Dico Koppers | 10 | 0 | 7+1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 57 | DF | FIN | Henri Toivomäki | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Players sold or loaned out after the start of the season: ||||||||||||
| 40 | MF | NED | Ouasim Bouy | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 45 | FW | NED | Tom Boere | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Updated 22 January 2012

### 2011–12 Selection by Nationality

| Nationality | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Total Players |
| Current squad selection | 11 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | - | - | 24 |
| Youth/reserves squad in AFC Ajax selection | 8 | - | 1 | - | 1 | - | - | - | - | - | - | 1 | - | 11 |
| Players out on loan | 5 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 1 | 6 |

## Team statistics
### Eredivisie standings 2011–12

| Current standing | Matches played | Wins | Draws | Losses | Points | Goals for | Goals against | Yellow cards | Red cards |
| 1 | 34 | 23 | 7 | 4 | 76 | 93 | 36 | 39 | 4 |

#### Points by match day

| Match day | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 | 31 | 32 | 33 | 34 | Total |
| Points | 3 | 3 | 1 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 76 |

#### Total points by match day

| Match day | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 | 31 | 32 | 33 | 34 | Total |
| Points | 3 | 6 | 7 | 10 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 20 | 20 | 21 | 24 | 27 | 30 | 33 | 34 | 34 | 34 | 37 | 40 | 43 | 46 | 49 | 52 | 55 | 58 | 61 | 64 | 67 | 70 | 73 | 76 | 76 |

#### Standing by match day

| Match day | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 | 31 | 32 | 33 | 34 | Standing |
| Standing | 1st | 1st | 2nd | 2nd | 1st | 3rd | 3rd | 4th | 6th | 6th | 5th | 5th | 4th | 4th | 4th | 4th | 4th | 4th | 4th | 6th | 6th | 6th | 5th | 4th | 2nd | 2nd | 2nd | 1st | 1st | 1st | 1st | 1st | 1st | 1st | 1st |

#### Goals by match day

| Match day | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 | 31 | 32 | 33 | 34 | Total |
| Goals | 4 | 5 | 2 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 4 | 4 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 1 | 4 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 6 | 5 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 93 |

### Statistics for the 2011–12 season

* This is an overview of all the statistics for played matches in the 2011–12 season.
| | Friendlies | Johan Cruijff Schaal | KNVB Cup | UEFA Champions League | UEFA Europa League | Eredivisie | Total |
| Matches | 11 of 11 | 1 of 1 | 3 of 3 | 6 of 6 | 2 of 2 | 34 of 34 | 56 of 56 |
| Win | 8 of 11 | 0 of 1 | 2 of 3 | 2 of 6 | 1 of 2 | 23 of 34 | 35 of 56 |
| Draw | 1 of 11 | 0 of 1 | 0 of 3 | 2 of 6 | 0 of 2 | 7 of 34 | 10 of 56 |
| Loss | 2 of 11 | 1 of 1 | 1 of 3 | 2 of 6 | 1 of 2 | 4 of 34 | 11 of 56 |
| Home | 3 of 3 | 0 of 0 | 1 of 1 | 3 of 3 | 1 of 1 | 17 of 17 | 25 of 25 |
| Away | 8 of 8 | 1 of 1 | 2 of 3 | 3 of 3 | 1 of 1 | 17 of 17 | 32 of 32 |
| Yellow cards | 5 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 5 | 40 | 57 |
| Red cards | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 4 |
| 2 x yellow in 1 match | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 2 |
| Number of substitutes used | 91 | 3 | 6 | 16 | 6 | 95 | 214 |
| Goals for | 29 | 1 | 9 | 6 | 2 | 93 | 142 |
| Goals against | 5 | 2 | 6 | 6 | 3 | 36 | 58 |
| Balance | +24 | -1 | +3 | 0 | -1 | +57 | +81 |
| Clean sheets | 7 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 12 | 23 |
| Penalties for | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 8 |
| Penalties against | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 4 |

### 2011–12 team records

| Description | Competition | Result |
| Biggest win | Friendly match | AZSV – AFC Ajax ( 0–11 ) |
| Biggest win | Johan Cruijff Schaal | — |
| Biggest win | KNVB Cup | Roda JC – AFC Ajax ( 2–4 ) |
| Biggest win | UEFA Champions League | AFC Ajax – Dinamo Zagreb ( 4–0 ) |
| Biggest win | UEFA Europa League | Manchester United – AFC Ajax ( 1–2 ) |
| Biggest win | Eredivisie | AFC Ajax – Heracles Almelo ( 6–0 ) |
| Biggest loss | Friendly match | 1. FC Nürnberg – AFC Ajax ( 2–0 ) |
| Biggest loss | Johan Cruijff Schaal | FC Twente – AFC Ajax ( 2–1 ) |
| Biggest loss | KNVB Cup | AFC Ajax – AZ ( 2–3 ) |
| Biggest loss | UEFA Champions League | Real Madrid – AFC Ajax ( 3–0 ) |
| Biggest loss | UEFA Europa League | AFC Ajax – Manchester United ( 0–2 ) |
| Biggest loss | Eredivisie | FC Utrecht – AFC Ajax ( 6–4 ) |
| Most goals in a match | Friendly match | AZSV – AFC Ajax ( 0–11 ) |
| Most goals in a match | Johan Cruijff Schaal | FC Twente – AFC Ajax ( 2–1 ) |
| Most goals in a match | KNVB Cup | Roda JC – AFC Ajax ( 2–4 ) |
| Most goals in a match | UEFA Champions League | AFC Ajax – Dinamo Zagreb ( 4–0 ) |
| Most goals in a match | UEFA Europa League | Manchester United – AFC Ajax ( 1–2 ) |
| Most goals in a match | Eredivisie | FC Utrecht – AFC Ajax ( 6–4 ) |

#### Topscorers

| Nr. | Name | |
| 1. | Aras Özbiliz | 5 |
| 2. | Lorenzo Ebecilio | 4 |
| 3. | Geoffrey Castillion | 3 |
| 3. | Mats Rits | 3 |
| 3. | Rodney Sneijder | 3 |
| 6. | Theo Janssen | 2 |
| 7. | Jan-Arie van der Heijden | 1 |
| 7. | Derk Boerrigter | 1 |
| 7. | Thulani Serero | 1 |
| 7. | Ricardo van Rhijn | 1 |
| 7. | André Ooijer | 1 |
| 7. | Kolbeinn Sigþórsson | 1 |
| 7. | Christian Eriksen | 1 |
| 7. | Vurnon Anita | 1 |
| 7. | Siem de Jong | 1 |
| 7. | Jody Lukoki | 1 |
| 7. | Tom Boere | 1 |
| 7. | Dmitri Bulykin | 1 |
| Total | Total | 32 |
| Nr. | Name | |
| 1. | Toby Alderweireld | 1 |
| Total | Total | 1 |
| Nr. | Name | |
| 1. | Siem de Jong | 13 |
| 2. | Miralem Sulejmani | 11 |
| 3. | Dmitri Bulykin | 9 |
| 4. | Theo Janssen | 8 |
| 4. | Jan Vertonghen | 8 |
| 6. | Derk Boerrigter | 7 |
| 6. | Kolbeinn Sigþórsson | 7 |
| 6. | Christian Eriksen | 7 |
| 9. | Lorenzo Ebecilio | 6 |
| 10. | Gregory van der Wiel | 2 |
| 10. | Jody Lukoki | 2 |
| 10. | André Ooijer | 2 |
| 10. | Nicolás Lodeiro | 2 |
| 10. | Vurnon Anita | 2 |
| 10. | Ismaïl Aissati | 2 |
| 14. | Toby Alderweireld | 1 |
| 14. | Davy Klaassen | 1 |
| 14. | Aras Özbiliz | 1 |
| Own goals | Guy Ramos (RKC Waalwijk) | 1 |
| Own goals | Simon Poulsen (AZ) | 1 |
| Total | Total | 93 |
| Nr. | Name | |
| 1. | Siem de Jong | 3 |
| 2. | Jan Vertonghen | 2 |
| 2. | Derk Boerrigter | 2 |
| 3. | Dmitri Bulykin | 1 |
| 3. | Lesley de Sa | 1 |
| Total | Total | 9 |
| Nr. | Name | |
| 1. | Derk Boerrigter | 1 |
| 1. | Christian Eriksen | 1 |
| 1. | Gregory van der Wiel | 1 |
| 1. | Miralem Sulejmani | 1 |
| 1. | Siem de Jong | 1 |
| 1. | Nicolás Lodeiro | 1 |
| Total | Total | 6 |
| Nr. | Name | |
| 1. | Aras Özbiliz | 1 |
| 1. | Toby Alderweireld | 1 |
| Total | Total | 2 |

## Placements

| | Friendlies | Johan Cruijff Schaal | KNVB Cup | UEFA Champions League | UEFA Europa League | Eredivisie |
| Status | 11 played, 8 wins, 1 draw, 2 losses | Runner-up Lost to: FC Twente | Round of 16 Lost to: AZ | 3rd Place in Group D Placement for: UEFA Europa League | Eliminated in Round of 32 Last opponent: Manchester United | Champions 76 points in 34 matches 31st title |
* Jan Vertonghen is voted Player of the year by the supporters of AFC Ajax.
* Ricardo van Rhijn is voted Talent of the year by the supporters of AFC Ajax.
* Frank de Boer is nominated for the Rinus Michels Award 2012 in the category: Best Trainer/Coach in Professional Football.
* Christian Eriksen is voted Danish Football Player of the Year by the Danish Football Association and TV2.
* Nicolai Boilesen is voted Danish Football Talent of the Year by the Danish Football Association and TV2.
* Dmitri Bulykin is voted Best Russian Football Player Abroad by the Russian Football Union.
* Theo Janssen is voted Gelders Sportsman of the Year by the Gelders Sportgala 2011.
* Jan Vertonghen wins the Golden boots award.
* Christian Eriksen wins the Bronze boots award.

## Competitions

All times are in CEST

### UEFA Champions League
#### Group stage

| Pos | Teamvte | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification |
| 1 | Real Madrid | 6 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 19 | 2 | +17 | 18 | Advance to knockout phase |
| 2 | Lyon | 6 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 9 | 7 | +2 | 8 | Advance to knockout phase |
| 3 | Ajax | 6 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 6 | 6 | 0 | 8 | Transfer to Europa League |
| 4 | Dinamo Zagreb | 6 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 3 | 22 | −19 | 0 | |
* 1 2 Tied on head-to-head results. Overall goal difference was used as the tiebreaker.

### UEFA Europa League
#### Knockout phase
##### Round of 32
## Transfers for 2011–12
### Summer transfer window

For a list of all Dutch football transfers in the summer window (1 July 2011 to 31 August 2011) please see List of Dutch football transfers summer 2011.

#### Arrivals

* The following players moved to AFC Ajax.
| Name | Position | Transfer type | Previous club | Fee |
| Return from loan spell | Return from loan spell | Return from loan spell | Return from loan spell | Return from loan spell |
| Ismaïl Aissati | Midfielder | 30 June 2011 | Vitesse | - |
| Jan-Arie van der Heijden | Midfielder | 30 June 2011 | Willem II | - |
| Transfer | Transfer | Transfer | Transfer | Transfer |
| Thulani Serero | Midfielder | 22 May 2011 | Ajax Cape Town | €2,500,000 |
| Theo Janssen | Midfielder | 23 May 2011 | Twente | €3,300,000 |
| Derk Boerrigter | Forward | 20 June 2011 | RKC Waalwijk | €500,000 |
| Kolbeinn Sigþórsson | Forward | 4 July 2011 | AZ | €4,000,000 |
| Jasper Cillessen | Goalkeeper | 27 August 2011 | NEC | €3,300,000 |
| Free Transfer | Free Transfer | Free Transfer | Free Transfer | Free Transfer |
| Mats Rits | Midfielder | 28 June 2011 | Germinal Beerschot | - |
| Dmitri Bulykin | Forward | 31 August 2011 | Anderlecht | - |

#### Departures

* The following players moved from AFC Ajax.
| Name | Position | Transfer type | New club | Fee |
| Out on loan | Out on loan | Out on loan | Out on loan | Out on loan |
| Roly Bonevacia | Midfielder | 26 May 2011 | NAC Breda | - |
| Marco Bizot | Goalkeeper | 3 June 2011 | SC Cambuur | - |
| Florian Jozefzoon | Forward | 10 June 2011 | NAC Breda | - |
| Darío Cvitanich | Forward | 6 July 2011 | Boca Juniors | - |
| Geoffrey Castillion | Forward | 5 August 2011 | RKC Waalwijk | - |
| Rodney Sneijder | Midfielder | 20 August 2011 | FC Utrecht | - |
| Transfer | Transfer | Transfer | Transfer | Transfer |
| Sergio Padt | Goalkeeper | 2 July 2011 | Gent | €300,000 |
| Demy de Zeeuw | Midfielder | 6 July 2011 | Spartak Moscow | €6,000,000 |
| Maarten Stekelenburg | Goalkeeper | 1 August 2011 | Roma | €6,300,000 |
| Free Transfer | Free Transfer | Free Transfer | Free Transfer | Free Transfer |
| Mitchell Donald | Midfielder | 9 February 2011 | Roda JC | - |
| Rob Wielaert | Defender | 16 May 2011 | Roda JC | - |
| Timothée Atouba | Defender | 25 May 2011 | Las Palmas | - |
| Marvin Zeegelaar | Forward | 15 June 2011 | Espanyol | - |
| Rasmus Lindgren | Midfielder | 20 June 2011 | Red Bull Salzburg | - |
| Tom Overtoom | Midfielder | 21 June 2011 | Sparta Rotterdam | - |
| Suk Hyun-jun | Forward | 27 June 2011 | Groningen | - |
| Oleguer | Defender | 1 August 2011 | — | - |
| Evander Sno | Midfielder | 17 August 2011 | RKC Waalwijk | - |
| Jan-Arie van der Heijden | Midfielder | 18 August 2011 | Vitesse | - |
| Ronald Graafland | Goalkeeper | 22 August 2011 | Feyenoord | - |

### Winter transfer window

For a list of all Dutch football transfers in the winter window (1 January 2012 to 1 February 2012) please see List of Dutch football transfers winter 2011–12.

#### Arrivals

* The following players moved to AFC Ajax.
| Name | Position | Transfer type | Previous club | Fee |
| Free Transfer | Free Transfer | Free Transfer | Free Transfer | Free Transfer |
| Stefan Marinković | Defender | 3 February 2011 | Luzern | - |

#### Departures

* The following players moved from AFC Ajax.
| Name | Position | Transfer type | New club | Fee |
| Transfer | Transfer | Transfer | Transfer | Transfer |
| Ouasim Bouy | Midfielder | 31 January 2012 | Juventus | €200,000 |
| Free Transfer | Free Transfer | Free Transfer | Free Transfer | Free Transfer |
| Tom Boere | Forward | 29 December 2011 | Gent | - |