Ronaldo in real pickle as Ajax rule

Cristiano Ronaldo shook his head as he walked off the field, while the Ajax players and staff celebrated with their fans long after the final whistle.

The youthful Ajax team knocked off another one of Europe’s giants yesterday, beating Juventus 2-1 in Turin to reach the Champions League semifinals for the first time since 1997. It is the first time since 2010 that Ronaldo has failed to reach the last four, having won the competition the last three years in a row with Madrid.

“He’s disappointed as we all are, but we can’t be dragged down by this disappointment,” Juventus coach Massimiliano Allegri said.

Juventus signed Ronaldo in the offseason in the hope of ending a 23-year wait for the Champions League but one goal from the Portugal star wasn’t enough against the Dutch team, which erased a first-half deficit and dominated the final 45 minutes.

“Cristiano increased our chances of winning the Champions League but football isn’t maths,” Allegri added. “It’s not one plus one equals two, but one plus one can equal three, four, zero.”

Having already seen off Real Madrid in the previous round, Ajax showed no fear against Ronaldo and the Italian giant either, advancing 3-2 on aggregate.

“It’s an unforgettable night for Ajax, we eliminated one of the favourites for the competition,” Ajax coach Erik ten Hag said. “We played with confidence and patience. With our footballing philosophy we can go beyond expectation, we have once again surpassed our limits. It’s very difficult to play against us and our philosophy.”

Ajax will play either Manchester City or Tottenham Hotspur in the semifinals.