Three Dutch football clubs are in action in the opening round of the Europa League competition on Thursday night.

Ajax take on Glasgow club Celtic at home, FC Groningen meet Olympique Marseille and AZ will play FK Partizan in Serbia.

In Amsterdam, measures are being taken to prevent the clashes between the Scottish and Ajax fans. When the two sides last met in Amsterdam in 2013, 48 people were arrested, including 28 Celtic supporters, and eight police officers were treated for injuries.

Five Celtic fans were eventually found guilty of attacking the police but police also came under fire for using excessive force during the disturbances. The fans’ appeals still have to be heard.

This time round just 1,300 of the 2,600 tickets set aside for the Scots have been sold, the Parool said on Wednesday.

Those that do come to the city will be offered a ‘fan zone’ on the Dam, where they can drink outside. The police hope setting aside an area between the war memorial and Krasnopolsky hotel will make it easier to separate the Scots from Ajax supporters.

City centre bar owners have been requested to be careful about how much alcohol they sell to fans.

In addition, the special arrest squads will wear more easily identifiable clothing, the Parool reported. Much of the trouble last time came because the arrest squads were mistaken for Ajax hooligans by the Scottish fans.