Holders Real hammered by Ajax
Real and Bale humbled as Ajax clean up
REAL MADRID, winners in four of the past five seasons, were sensationally knocked out of the Champions League by Ajax last night, losing 4-1 at the Bernabeu. Madrid full-back Dani Carvajal called it ‘the worst night of my career’ and added: ‘It’s been a s*** season.’ Brilliant Ajax trailed 2-1 from the first leg but hammered crisis-club Madrid to go through 5-3 on aggregate. The shock defeat will add to the pressure surrounding Gareth Bale, who was unable to change the game after coming on as a first-half substitute. Former Chelsea keeper Thibaut Courtois was beaten four times on a miserable night that sums up his first season at Real. Real lost to Barcelona at the weekend to end their slim La Liga hopes and Carvajal said: ‘We have to be professional. We have to not hide. We have to show our faces. This is my worst night of my career. In a week, we lost it all.’
REAL MADRID 1 AJAX 4
The bigger they come, the harder they fall. After 1,011 days as Champions League holders, the 13- time winners Real Madrid crashed out of the competition after a crushing 4-1 defeat on the night and a 5- 3 aggregate score.
Ajax were magnificent in this humiliation. Gareth Bale watched it unfold from the bench and was helpless to change it when he came on as a first-half substitute.
Goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois was as culpable as anyone, letting in the fourth from a direct free-kick.
Things started well enough for Real. Rafael Varane headed Lucas Vazquez’s cross on to the bar after four minutes and it looked like they had slipped into Champions League gear. The wheels were about to come off.
First To n i Kroos lost the ball in midfield and in a flash Dusan Tadic was crossing for hakim Ziyech to score.
There was stunned silence save from the Ajax fans, many with shirts off, behind the goal. That was after seven minutes. eleven minutes later and Madrid were going out.
Tadic spun brilliantly away from Casemiro and ran at the heart of the Real defence. There was no resistance with Luka Modric as the last man. David Neres slotted the ball past Courtois.
On 28 minutes Bale (below) replaced the injured Lucas. Madrid needed him more than ever but still the fans whistled him on. he came close to scoring, hitting the
frame of the goal with a lob. With Sergio Ramos suspended and Cristiano Ronaldo sold, it looked like it would be Bale’s night or goodnight. It was to be goodnight.
Ajax almost made it three at the restart but Courtois saved from Donny van de Beek.
With their next attack they scored the third and celebrated it twice, thanks to VAR.
Noussair Mazraoui won the ball from Sergio Reguilon and when the ball reached Tadic, he hit the top corner from the edge of the box.
Referee Felix Brych consulted VAR. The ball looked to have gone out when Reguilon was dispossessed on the touchline. Time stood still until Brych’s verdict sent the travelling Ajax supporters into raptures.
There was no way back now. Substitute Marco Asensio scored for Madrid but any hope was wiped out by Lasse Schone’s direct free-kick past the hapless Courtois. Up in his private box Ramos looked down, non-plussed. he chose to miss this game by picking up a forced booking in the first leg. Madrid looked home and dry. Since then their season has imploded. how they needed him on the pitch.
Madrid’s season is over with three months to play and the blame game will turn from Bale to the coach. Santiago Solari will do well to last the season and the club will intensify efforts to bring in Mauricio Pochettino or Jose Mourinho.
The five minutes of added time were painful for Madrid. Bale was left hobbling after a knock on the ankle and Nacho was sent off.
The stadium emptied and Ajax are in the quarter-finals for the first time since 2003 and deservedly so.