in the play-off round second leg of the 2010–11 UEFA Champions League against Dynamo Kyiv, helping Ajax win 2–1 on aggregate and ending a five-year drought from this competition. He scored his first Champions League goal with his new club, netting the opener against Milan, with the game ending 1–1. During the 2010–11 season, El Hamdaoui fell out of favour with manager Frank de Boer following a dispute. De Boer, discontent with his performance despite a goal, substituted El Hamdaoui at half-time in the semi final of KNVB Cup against RKC Waalwijk. In August 2011 manager Frank de Boer confirmed interest from Premier League club Blackburn Rovers for El Hamdaoui. As the season went on, more European clubs were reported to be interested in El Hamdaoui, including Galatasaray and Espanyol. At the end of the transfer window El Hamdaoui stayed at Ajax but did not play any part in the 2011–12 season due to his troubled relationship with De Boer. He played matches with Jong Ajax and while he was listed in the squad registered for the Champions League group stages, along with Ismaïl Aissati, who had been demoted to the second string at the beginning of the season as well, neither of them made any appearances or played any part in the competition. Frank de Boer explained his reason for registering them as him making players eligible in case he were to be relieved of his managerial duties, so that a potential successor would have the full squad at his disposal. Aissati afterwards found his way back into the first team. Fiorentina In July 2012, El Hamdaoui finally left Ajax and signed with Fiorentina receiving the number 9 shirt and signing a three-year deal. On 11 November 2012 he scored his first goal in Italy in a 3–1 victory away to Milan. On 14 December 2014, El Hamdaoui scored in his first appearance of the season coming on as a substitute in the 85th minute in a game against Cesena. His contract with Fiorentina expired at the end of the 2014–15 season. Loan to Málaga El Hamdaoui joined La Liga club Málaga on loan in August 2013. On 15 September 2013, he scored a hat-trick against Rayo Vallecano in a 5−0 home win. In December 2019 he was removed from first-team contention, which according to head coach Bernd Schuster was due to weight issues. Later career After having previously