SANTIAGO SOLARI HAS said sorry to Real Madrid fans after their humiliating Champions League last-16 defeat against Ajax.
Madrid were put to the sword by Ajax at the Santiago Bernabeu, where the irresistible Dutch visitors claimed an incredible 4-1 victory in the second leg.
Tuesday’s rout saw reigning champions Madrid – who lost Vinicius Junior and Lucas Vazquez to injuries in the first half – eliminated 5-3 on aggregate, having won the opening fixture 2-1 in Amsterdam.
Hurting following a fourth successive defeat on home soil, under-fire Madrid head coach Solari told reporters:
“It’s really painful, we’re sorry for our fans, who were amazing in the way they supported the team in what was a very tough time.
“We’re sad and are hurting. We put in the best possible effort but it wasn’t enough and we’ve bowed out. It’s a sad night.
“A lot of things went on out there. It was a game in which things frequently changed. There was a bit of everything: enforced substitutions, shots hitting the woodwork, the ball not wanting to go in, their clinicalness, the VAR system… An endless amount of things that you’ll have to assess.”
Madrid’s loss to Ajax ended their stranglehold on the Champions League, having won the past three trophies.
There has been talk of an end to an era in the Spanish capital but Solari said: “This group of players have won the last three editions of the Champions League and tonight we’ve gone out of the competition.
“This group of champions have won four of the last five Champions Leagues and it’s a sad time that highlights what the team has achieved in the past and how tough it is to win the European Cup.”
Solari’s position has come under threat following a difficult past week, which saw Madrid beaten twice by bitter rivals Barcelona at the Bernabeu.
Back-to-back defeats against Barca sent Madrid crashing out of the Copa del Rey semi-finals and languishing 12 points off the pace in LaLiga.
Asked about his job, Solari added: “I am here to work and give my best. The players are here to give their best in order to be better tomorrow than they were yesterday.
“We’ll be training tomorrow [Wednesday], we have our LaLiga commitments at the weekend. We all have an obligation, we have to be professional and show that we have this team in our hearts, we’ll come in to work tomorrow and give the best for the team.”
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I wonder if Ramos will issue an apology to the fans too
@samstheman: Are you still banging on about Ramos
@samstheman: yizzer never gonna let that go are yiz??
@John Connolly: are you still banging on John?
@Brian Dunne: let what go? The man got himself suspended on purpose for this game & his team concedes 4 goals & gets dumped out of the competition.
@samstheman: I sure am
@John Connolly: you go girl. Knock yourself out
@samstheman: Its been almost a year since Ramos took care of Salah and you just can’t let it go,imagine how bitter you’ll be win Man City win the league
@John Connolly: it’s plainly obvious with that post you’re the bitter one John. Why bring Liverpool into it? What has that got to do with this? As I told you the other night I’m also a Barcelona fan. Have been to plenty of games there & been to the city loads too I love the place. Besides Ramos isn’t a very popular figure with many football fans.
I suggest with your attitude you find some place nice to go & take a week or 10 days for yourself
@samstheman: Ha ha ha ha,you sound as bad a Klopp with your desperate excuses
@samstheman: Ha ha ha ha,you sound as bad as Klopp with your desperate excuses
@John Connolly: bitter boy. As well as OGS has done since he’s come in. You can even bring yourself to comment on his work. You spend all your time on Liverpool threads or on threads nothing to do with Liverpool but still bring them into it. Says plenty about you Johnny but as I’ve said before it’s best summed up as you being bitter end of story
@samstheman: keep on digging that hole for yourself,why did you bring Man Utd into it,you’re obsessed with them
@John Connolly: to highlight how completely sad you are John. A united fan who only posts Liverpool related content
@John Connolly: Do you think Ramos made the right decision getting himself banned for last night’s match?
@samstheman: You’re the one who brought up Man Utd
@The Bloody Nine: Of course not but even if he was playing Madrid probably still would have lost
@John Connolly: so why are you having this pointless argument with someone you agree with?
@The Bloody Nine: Because he has been harping on about Ramos since the champions league final last year
@John Connolly: go ahead and post what I said in relation to the champions league final John? Or I could save you the trouble, I said Bales goal was good enough to win any final. Liverpool weren’t good enough. Obviously it was a while ago, so if you have any proof of my making any reference to Ramos other than last week, fire it up there. Thanks.
@samstheman: Are you trying to convince me or convince yourself that you’re still bitter over Ramos,that’s why no one wants Liverpool to win anything when all the sh@te ye talk
@John Connolly: that’s fine John if you could show where I’ve been banging on about Ramos for a year I’d appreciate that. Thanks pal
Real Madrid and Amazing fans in the same sentence…. ffs.. laughable
I’m sorry ye are such bellends, he should have said.!!
Madrid are falling to pieces. Chelsea are the real winners though – cant see Hazard going to that team
@John:
Doubt he’d stay at Chelsea either.
@John: PSG it is so