Ajax stun Real Madrid with Champions League comeback

Posted Wednesday, March 06, 2019 by PA

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, after Raphael Varane’s header rattled the crossbar, Ajax raced into an early lead through Hakim Ziyech before Dusan Tadic set up David Neres for a second in the 18th minute.

🔥 Dušan Tadić at the Bernabéu = ⚽️🅰️🅰️#UCL pic.twitter.com/SeXt3wUbaE
— UEFA Champions League (@ChampionsLeague) March 5, 2019

Real Madrid were forced into two changes when Lucas Vazquez and Vinicius Junior went off injured, with substitute Gareth Bale hitting the post just before half-time.

Ajax looked to have put the tie to bed when Tadic swept in a brilliant third goal just after the hour – which was eventually given following an extensive Video Assistant Referee review to check if the ball had gone out of play in the build-up.

Substitute Marco Asensio briefly gave Real hope when he put the ball in off the post with 20 minutes left.

72'' 1-4!!! LASSE SCHÖNEEEEEEE!
WHATISHAPPENING!#UCL #reaaja pic.twitter.com/y2umwZ59Tv
— AFC Ajax (English) (@AFCAjax_EN) March 5, 2019

Lasse Schone, though, capped a brilliant night for Erik Ten Hag’s side when he curled in an angled free-kick over Thibaut Courtois on 72 minutes.

Real finished with 10 men after Nacho picked up two needless late cautions.

The defeat was a fourth successive home loss for Los Blancos following on from being beaten by arch-rivals Barcelona in LaLiga on Saturday – and will see pressure mount on manager Santiago Solari.

Ajax, meanwhile, go on to reach the Champions League quarter-finals for the first time since 2003.