Big Match Feature: Ajax v Real Madrid

Ajax must overcome the weight of recent history as they take on holders Real Madrid bidding to reach the Uefa Champions League quarterfinals for the first time in 16 years. Catch all the action live on SuperSport.

The Dutch club have reached the round of 16 for the first time since 2005/06 but have never won at this stage of the UEFA Champions League. Furthermore, Ajax have lost their last six games to Real Madrid, conceding 20 goals while scoring only two.

In contrast, Real Madrid have continued their record of appearing in the UEFA Champions League round of 16 every year since its introduction in 2003/04 – and have not lost a tie at this juncture in nine years.

Madrid have won the last three editions of the UEFA Champions League and have won their last nine two-legged knockout ties in the competition, since defeat by Juventus in the 2014/15 semi-finals.

PREVIOUS MEETINGS

The teams have met 12 times in UEFA competition – all in the European Cup – Real Madrid winning seven and Ajax four with only one draw, 1-1 in the first encounter in Amsterdam in the 1967/68 European Cup first round first leg.

Madrid won the second leg 2-1 in Spain to progress.

Ajax won the next four fixtures between the sides, in the semi-final of their victorious 1972/73 European Cup campaign (2-1 home, 1-0 away) and, as holders, in the 1995/96 UEFA Champions League group stage (1-0 home, 2-0 away), when they went on to reach another final.

In the latter campaign, Marc Overmars – now Ajax's director of player affairs – scored the only goal in Amsterdam with Edwin van der Sar (now Ajax's general director) and Danny Blind, father of Daley, playing in both games.

Madrid have dominated recent contests between the sides, beating Ajax home and away in the group stage in 2010/11, 2011/12 and 2012/13. Their last trip to Amsterdam brought a 4-1 success in October 2012 – Madrid won by the same scoreline at the Santiago Bernabéu two months later – making it 11 goals in their last three visits to Ajax.

Daley Blind played in both the sides' 2012/13 games, Lasse Schöne coming on as a first-half substitute in Madrid's 4-1 home win.

Karim Benzema was on target in Madrid's win at Ajax in October 2012 having also found the net in a 4-0 success in Amsterdam in November 2010 and in Madrid's 3-0 home victory against Ajax the following September.

FORM GUIDE

AJAX

The 2005/06 tie against Internazionale is Ajax's sole previous UEFA Champions League round of 16 contest; the Dutch club drew 2-2 in the home first leg – Klaas-Jan Huntelaar opening the scoring – before a 1-0 defeat in Milan.

Ajax's last UEFA Champions League quarter-final came in 2002/03, when they were beaten 3-2 at AC Milan having drawn the home first leg 0-0.

The Dutch club are without a win in their last six UEFA Champions League knockout fixtures (D2 L4), since a 3-2 victory at Atlético Madrid in the 1996/97 quarter-final second leg that completed a 4-3 aggregate success.

A 1-1 draw in the first leg of that Atlético tie means Ajax have not won any of their last five home UEFA Champions League knockout matches (D3 L2), most recently beating Borussia Dortmund 1-0 in the 1995/96 quarter-final second leg (3-0 aggregate).

Ajax's last experience of Spanish opposition came in the 2016/17 UEFA Europa League group stage, when they drew 2-2 at Celta Vigo before a 3-2 home victory.

The Amsterdammers have won only two of their last 14 games against Spanish opponents (D1 L11).

Ajax's record in two-legged knockout ties against Spanish clubs is W7 L2, the most recent a 3-0 aggregate loss (0-1 home, 0-2 away) against Mallorca in the 1999/2000 UEFA Cup third round.

Ajax are unbeaten in Europe in 2018/19 – a run of 12 matches (W7 D5). They won their first five home games before a 3-3 draw against Bayern München on matchday six, finishing second behind the German club in Group E.

Ajax are the sole side still involved who came through qualifying. The other 15 participants in the round of 16 all entered the competition at the group stage.

REAL MADRID

This is Real Madrid's 23rd UEFA Champions League campaign – and the 23rd in which they have reached the knockout phase.

Madrid are holders and 13-time champions. Semi-finalists or better in each of the last eight seasons, this is their 49th European Cup campaign – more than any other side.

Madrid are looking to reach the quarter-finals for the ninth successive year. Their round of 16 record is W9 L6; they lost at this stage for six years in a row between 2005 and 2010 but have won their last eight ties.

In 2017/18, Madrid beat Paris Saint-Germain 3-1 at home and 2-1 away, Marcelo scoring in the first leg and Casemiro in the second.

This is the Merengues' first knockout tie against Dutch opponents since a 2-0 aggregate win (1-0 away, 1-0 home) against Vitesse in the 1992/93 UEFA Cup third round. That made Madrid's record in two-legged contests with Eredivisie clubs W6 L3; their last aggregate defeat came on away goals against PSV Eindhoven in the 1987/88 European Champion Clubs' Cup semi-final (1-1 home, 0-0 away).

Madrid have won on five of their last six visits to the Netherlands, the 1995 defeat at Ajax their sole loss in their last eight trips (W5 D2).

This season, Madrid finished top of Group G with 12 points despite losing both games against bottom side CSKA Moskva – including a 3-0 reverse at the Bernabéu on matchday six that was the club's heaviest home European defeat.

Madrid have still lost only six of their last 39 European matches, home and away, winning 26.

Aside from the 1-0 loss at CSKA on matchday two, Madrid won 5-0 at Viktoria Plzen and 2-0 at Roma in the group stage, and have won 13 of their last 21 European away matches, losing just four.