Sign up to the Independent's betting newsletter for the latest tips and offers Sign up to the Independent's betting newsletter
It was only a narrow win but it was a classic Real Madrid one in many ways.
Firstly you had the element of the unjust, the sort of thing that will have the Barcelona-based sports dailies quivering with anger on their front pages.
Then you had the win out of nothing, a result that never seemed likely until they went ahead and then looked a remote chance when Hakim Ziyech equalised with just over ten minutes to go and momentum lurched back towards the hosts.
Marco Asensio's late goal, scored in his mother's homeland, changes the complexion of this tie completely though.
And you can check out how we rated the players in the gallery below
Show all 21 1 /21Ed Malyon's Ajax vs Real Madrid player ratings Ed Malyon's Ajax vs Real Madrid player ratings Andre Onana 6 - could have done better with both goals
Getty Images
Ed Malyon's Ajax vs Real Madrid player ratings Noussair Mazraoui 6 - a buccaneering display tainted by his actions in Madrid's first goal
REUTERS
Ed Malyon's Ajax vs Real Madrid player ratings Daley Blind 6 - composed but ultimately beaten twice by a team with few attacks
Getty
Ed Malyon's Ajax vs Real Madrid player ratings Matthijs de Ligt 6 - the highly-rated defender played well but could do nothing about Benzema's goal
REUTERS
Ed Malyon's Ajax vs Real Madrid player ratings Nicolas Tagliafico 6 - should have had the game's opening goal, dealt well with Bale's physicality
REUTERS
Ed Malyon's Ajax vs Real Madrid player ratings Lasse Schone 7 - a talented player whose movement and positioning helped dominate Madrid in centre of the park
AFP/Getty Images
Ed Malyon's Ajax vs Real Madrid player ratings Frenkie de Jong 6 - clearly very talented but couldn't have a game-changing impact
Getty Images
Ed Malyon's Ajax vs Real Madrid player ratings Hakim Ziyech 7 - scored one and probably could have got another. His goal gives them hope
Getty Images
Ed Malyon's Ajax vs Real Madrid player ratings Donny van de Beek 7 - looks a real player, composed in possession and reads the game well
REUTERS
Ed Malyon's Ajax vs Real Madrid player ratings David Neres 7 - dangerous down that flank and created chances against a talented right-back in Carvajal
EPA
Ed Malyon's Ajax vs Real Madrid player ratings Thibaut Courtois 6 - a clanger forgiven by VAR then a couple of important saves. Mixed night
REUTERS
Ed Malyon's Ajax vs Real Madrid player ratings Dani Carvajal 7 - did well for much of the night with Madrid on the back foot
AP
Ed Malyon's Ajax vs Real Madrid player ratings Nacho 7 - did well to keep Ajax from turning positions into shots on target
REUTERS
Ed Malyon's Ajax vs Real Madrid player ratings Sergio Ramos 8 - a couple of decisive interventions when his team needed him most... of course
AP
Ed Malyon's Ajax vs Real Madrid player ratings Sergio Reguilon 6 - troubled by Ziyech and Tadic. Booked for his troubles
Getty Images
Ed Malyon's Ajax vs Real Madrid player ratings Luka Modric 6 - not a vintage game from the Ballon d'Or winner, who had a lot of ground to cover
Getty Images
Ed Malyon's Ajax vs Real Madrid player ratings Casemiro 7 - physical as always, probably the pick of Madrid's midfielders
REUTERS
Ed Malyon's Ajax vs Real Madrid player ratings Toni Kroos 6 - very quiet but occasionally showed flashes of what he can do
AFP/Getty Images
Ed Malyon's Ajax vs Real Madrid player ratings Gareth Bale 6 - had the physical edge on Tagliafico but didn't turn it into goals
Getty Images
Ed Malyon's Ajax vs Real Madrid player ratings Karim Benzema 7 - a good finish was key on a night when there weren't loads of chances to be had
Getty Images
Ed Malyon's Ajax vs Real Madrid player ratings Vinicium Junior 7 - troublesome when it mattered, terrorising Ajax for the first goal before being withdrawn
REUTERS
For more, check out five things we learned from the round-of-16 clash in Amsterdam.
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies