Bernabeu brilliance from Ajax brings Madrid dominance to shuddering halt

REAL MADRID AJAX 1 4 (AJAX WIN 5-3 ON AGGREGATE)

HOLDERS Real Madrid crashed out of the Champions League as Ajax produced a stunning 4-1 victory in the Santiago Bernabeu to reach the quarter-finals. Los Blancos, with captain Sergio Ramos suspended after deliberately collecting a yellow card in the first leg, had been looking to build on a slender 2-1 lead from that game in Amsterdam and stay on course for a potential fourth straight European triumph. However, the night was destined to belong to the visitors who are through to the last eight for the first time since 2003. Ajax took the lead in the seventh minute. Tadic won possession and broke away down the left before cutting the ball back for Ziyech, who coolly dispatched a low shot into the far corner. The Dutch side doubled their lead on 18 minutes. Tadic was again the architect, brilliantly pirouetting past Casemiro and gliding into the area before picking out Neres, who kept his cool to chip Thibaut Courtois. When Madrid did spark into life, Onana produced a fine flying save from Vazquez’s angled drive. Not long afterwards, Vazquez picked up an injury and had to be replaced in the 29th minute by Gareth Bale, who received a lukewarm reception. Vinicius sent a shot into the side netting and then limped off for treatment on what looked like a foot problem. The 18-year-old was in tears as he was eventually helped away by medical staff. With Real temporarily down to 10 men as Asensio prepared to come on, Ajax went close to a third when Ziyech forced Courtois into a smart save. Despite the changes, Madrid soon grew in confidence and started to open up the visitors, Asensio played in behind by Luka Modric before Matthijs de Ligt made a timely block. As half-time approached, Bale drove forward down the left before crashing a fierce shot against the outside of the post. Asensio then curled wide at the start of the second half and Karim Benzema shot over. Donny Van De Beek tested Courtois and Benzema’s curling effort was just off target before Ajax made it 3-0 with another cracker. Van De Beek picked out Tadic and the midfielder created space before lashing the ball into the top-left corner, with the goal awarded after a VAR stoppage of close to four minutes. Asensio reduced the deficit in the 70th minute but the home fans were soon silenced again when Schone caught out Courtois with a free-kick from wide on the left. Bale had a late chance saved but then rolled his ankle – and looked in considerable pain – but Real had used up all of the their substitutes. Rea finished with 10 men after Nacho’s two rash challenges during stoppage time.