Ajax went down 2-1 against Real Madrid in a controversial Champions League clash on Tuesday but the Amsterdam side put in an excellent performance.
- By Michael Bell
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Andre Onana 7/10: Looked far more assured against Real Madrid than the loss at Heracles. Made several saves but could do nothing to prevent Benzema giving Real the lead. Was caught out by Carvajal’s cross for the second though. If he stood in goal would he have saved Asensio’s shot?
Noussair Mazraoui 7/10: Was on Vinicius JR from the first moment and contributed well to the attack. Had a great chance in the first half but shot wide. Was caught out for the Real Madrid opener by a great ball over the top.
Nicolas Tagliafico 7.5/10: Kept Gareth Bale quiet and was ferocious in his tackling all over the pitch. Will feel understandably frustrated that his header was ruled out. Should have been a hero on the night.
Daley Blind 7/10: Barely put a foot wrong until the second half of the game. Gave the ball away with a sloppy pass and was drawn to Vinicius for the opener which left Benzema free.
Matthijs de Ligt 8/10: A powerhouse at the back for Ajax. Won everything in the air and applied pressure all over the pitch. A real captains performance.
Lasse Schone 7/10: Proved his worth once again to the Ajax midfield with a very tidy performance. Provided three key passes and made three tackles before going off in the second half.
Frenkie de Jong 7/10: Played simple and effective football in the first half and overshadowed Modric in the midfield. Struggled to influence the game after the break and played a few sloppy passes.
Donny van de Beek 7.5/10: Was always an outlet for Ajax and played some lovely touches to get Ajax moving forward. Worked hard on and off the ball. A very encouraging performance.
David Neres 8/10: A constant threat to the Real Madrid defence with his pace, Neres was a handful all game. Got the assist for the equaliser and played a great ball through to Dolberg in the last minute. Will surely have earned his place back in the line-up for this weekend.
Hakim Ziyech 7.5/10: Like most Ajax games, Ziyech tried to take it by the scruff of the neck and he succeeded at times. Caused Real Madrid problems and created chances. He missed a big chance but also scored the deserved equaliser.
Dusan Tadic 7.5/10: The Serbian was outstanding during the first half and almost scored the opener with an effort that hit the post. The Real Madrid defence couldn’t deal with him at times. He was unlucky to make himself a villain with the disallowed goal and he seemed to tire a bit in the second half. Proved that he is a useful outlet through the middle again, especially with Huntelaar and Dolberg out of form.
Substitutes
Kasper Dolberg 5/10: Came on and got two big chances. Smashed one wide and scuffed one into the ground. Will have nightmares about that last chance in the final seconds of the game. Looks short of confidence at the moment.