Jan Vertonghen Expects 'Unbelievable Battle' in UCL Against Former Club Ajax

Jan Vertonghen has described the progress of his former club Ajax to the UEFA Champions League semi-finals as "crazy," and he is expecting an "unbelievable battle" when Tottenham Hotspur meet them in the last four. 

Spurs and Ajax upset Manchester City and Juventus, respectively, in the last eight and now meet for a semi-final tie that few would have predicted at the start of the tournament.

Ajax have won themselves plenty of new fans during their remarkable campaign as their exuberant young side have ousted holders Real Madrid, as well as Cristiano Ronaldo's Juve (U.S. only):

Vertonghen is one of four Spurs players who played previously at Ajax, along with Toby Alderweireld, Davinson Sanchez and Christian Eriksen, and he knows the Dutch outfit will be no pushovers, per Dejan Kalinic of Goal:

"Ajax, obviously it's crazy they're there. An even bigger surprise that Ajax is there than us, probably. I follow them every game, I speak to the people at the club, I know how good they are, I've watched every game.

"At the beginning in the Champions League they surprised everyone but now it is not a surprise any more. They are of this level, they are Champions League semi-final quality. That's how it is. I know how good they are, because obviously knocking Madrid and Juventus out is crazy. It will be an unbelievable battle between two positive sides."

Ajax last played in a Champions League semi-final in 1997, while Spurs have made this stage of Europe's elite competition for the first time since 1962:

Whichever side wins the tie will become one of the least expected finalists in recent memory and will go into the June 1 showpiece in Madrid as underdogs against either Liverpool or Barcelona.

However, that does not mean that neither has a chance of lifting the famous trophy.

Recent finals have largely gone the way of the favourites. But Chelsea in 2012 and Liverpool in 2005 upset the odds to win the Champions League final.

Ajax have made a habit of bringing down European giants this term, and Spurs have made it to the last four despite being on the verge of going out at the group stage.

Their semi-final does not have the glamour of Barcelona's against Liverpool, two teams that have won the competition 10 times between them.

But it is arguably the more intriguing of the two because it is so unexpected.