The ninth annual Amsterdam Tournament takes place between Thursday 2 to Saturday 4 August and features four teams - hosts Ajax, Arsenal of the English Premier Legaue, La Liga’s Atletico Madrid and Serie A outfit Lazio.

The tournament comprises four matches, all of which will be played at the Amsterdam ArenA and teams will be awarded one point for every goal they score as well as the usual three for a win and one for a draw.

Ajax
Ajax made a major improvement last season and finished runners-up in the Dutch Eredivise after a poor 2005/06 campaign was endured by their usual high standards. Ajax have not won their tournament since 2004, their last victory having also emerged victorious in the 2003, 2002 and 2001 competitions. Midfielder Ryan Babel joined Liverpool for £11.5 million over the summer but they have signed Dennis Rommedahl from Charlton, who was deadly during his time at rivals PSV Eindoven.

Arsenal
This is the second pre-season tournament in quick succession Arsenal have participated in, having won their hosted Emirates Cup over the weekend. This is the third time in four years the Gunners have entered the Amsterdam Tournament and they won it in 2005. Arsenal looked sharp in their victories over Paris St. Germain and Inter Milan and having won a similar style competition merely days ago will be many punters favourites to add another pre-season trophy to their collection.

Atletico Madrid
It has been a summer of major squad changes for the La Liga side which finished seventh last season. The most notable departure being Fernando Torres to Liverpool although Martin Petrov also left recently for Manchester City. A number of high profile players have joined to replace them and they are now arguably stronger than before. La Liga goal machine Diego Forlan, who netted 54 goals in 106 matches for Villarreal, Liverpool midfielder Luis Garcia, Benfica’s Simao Sabrosa, Arsenal’s Jose Antonio Reyes and AC Milan goalkeeper Christian Abbiati have all arrived at the Vicente Calderon.

Lazio
After overturning a massive point deduction for supposed involvement in the match-fixing scandal that rocked Serie A a year ago, Lazio finished third in the league. They also missed out on breaking the club record for most successive wins, having chalked up eight in a row last season compared with the Scudetto-winning record of nine in 2000. The Biancocelesti have not made any high-profile signings this summer, with Lionel Scaloni of Racing Santander and Mourad Meghni from Bologna the most notable arrivals so far.

Schedule

Saturday 4 August
Lazio 2.6 (Coral - £10 in Free Bets!)
Draw 3.25 (Skybet - £20 in Free Bets!)
Atletico Madrid 2.63 (Sporting Odds - £100 in Free Bets!)

Ajax 2.75 (Skybet - £20 in Free Bets!)
Draw 3.2 (Paddy Power - £25 in Free Bets!)
Arsenal 2.5 (Coral - £10 in Free Bets!)

Thursday 2 August 2007
Lazio 3.0 (Coral - £10 in Free Bets!)
Draw 3.37 (Extrabet - £25 in Free Bets!)
Arsenal 2.2 (Sporting Odds - £100 in Free Bets!)

Ajax 2.1 (Sporting Odds - £100 in Free Bets!)
Draw 3.35 (Extrabet - £25 in Free Bets!)
Atletico Madrid 3.2 (Coral - £10 in Free Bets!)