Madrid, Spain
February 13, 2018
The Santiago Bernabéu was a cathedral of football. Home to Real Madrid since 1947, it had witnessed countless historic moments—European Cup victories, legendary players, dramatic comebacks.
Ajax arrived in Madrid two days before the match, staying at a luxury hotel near the stadium. The Spanish capital buzzed with anticipation—Real Madrid, the defending champions, hosting a talented but inexperienced Ajax side.
Most pundits predicted a comfortable Madrid victory. Bookmakers had Madrid as overwhelming favorites. Even neutral observers expected the Spanish giants to advance easily.
But Ajax believed differently.
"They expect us to be afraid," Bosz told the squad during the pre-match meeting. "They expect us to defend for ninety minutes and lose respectably. Fuck that. We attack when we can, press when possible, show them we're here to compete."
Real Madrid - Squad Analysis:
Coach: Zinedine Zidane (legendary player, tactical genius)
Key Players:
Cristiano Ronaldo (32, LW/ST) - Five-time Ballon d'Or winner, Champions League's greatest player
Karim Benzema (30, ST) - French striker, perfect partner for Ronaldo
Gareth Bale (28, RW) - Welsh winger, when fit, devastating
Luka Modrić (32, CM) - Croatian midfielder, complete player
Toni Kroos (28, CM) - German midfielder, controls tempo
Sergio Ramos (31, CB) - Spanish captain, leader and warrior
Marcelo (29, LB) - Brazilian fullback, world's best attacking defender
Keylor Navas (31, GK) - Costa Rican keeper, saved them repeatedly
This wasn't just a good team. This was a collection of legends, multiple Ballon d'Or winners, Champions League specialists.
Matchday - February 13, 2018
The Bernabéu held 81,000 fans. Every seat was filled, creating a white-clad sea of expectation and demand. Real Madrid fans expected victory—anything less was failure.
In the away dressing room, Andrei followed his routine. But the magnitude of this moment was inescapable. He was about to play against Cristiano Ronaldo, Sergio Ramos, Luka Modrić—players he'd idolized, players who'd won everything.
The engagement ring on Elena's finger (she was in the stands with his mother, both having flown to Madrid) reminded him what truly mattered. Football was important, but not everything.
That perspective helped calm his nerves.
Current Status:
Overall Rating: 80.4/99
Physical Condition: 95% (perfectly prepared)
Mental State: Focused (engagement brought clarity)
Composure: 65.2/99 (improved through emotional stability)
Confidence: Very High
Real Madrid Starting XI (4-3-3):
GK: Keylor Navas
DEF: Dani Carvajal, Sergio Ramos, Raphaël Varane, Marcelo
MID: Toni Kroos, Casemiro, Luka Modrić
FWD: Gareth Bale, Karim Benzema, Cristiano Ronaldo
Ajax Starting XI (4-3-3, compact defensive shape):
GK: André Onana
DEF: Joël Veltman, Davinson Sánchez, Matthijs de Ligt, Nicolás Tagliafico
MID: Frenkie de Jong, Lasse Schöne, Donny van de Beek
FWD: Hakim Ziyech, Kasper Dolberg, Andrei Luca
The teams walked out to an incredible reception. The Champions League anthem echoed through the Bernabéu, mixing with 81,000 voices demanding victory.
This was European football's pinnacle.
Match Pressure: MAXIMUM
Opposition Quality: ELITE (World's best club)
Personal Stakes: Facing childhood heroes
Kickoff.
Madrid attacked immediately, dominating possession. Their passing was mesmerizing—Kroos and Modrić controlling tempo, Marcelo and Carvajal providing width, the front three constantly interchanging.
Ajax defended desperately. Every player tracking, blocking, covering. Onana made two brilliant saves in the first fifteen minutes alone.
In the 18th minute, the inevitable happened.
Marcelo overlapped down the left and crossed perfectly toward the penalty spot. Cristiano Ronaldo—who else?—rose above everyone and powered a header past Onana.
GOAL. Real Madrid 1-0 Ajax.
The Bernabéu erupted. Ronaldo sprinted to the corner, performing his famous "Siii!" celebration. He'd scored in his 12th consecutive Champions League season.
Ajax had to survive. They dropped even deeper, everyone behind the ball, making space impossible to find.
But in the 34th minute, against all logic, Ajax equalized.
Madrid pushed forward carelessly, Kroos attempting an ambitious pass. Frenkie de Jong intercepted with perfect anticipation and immediately looked forward.
Andrei had been waiting for this—positioned on the left touchline, ready to sprint. The moment Frenkie won possession, he exploded forward.
The pass came—a sixty-yard diagonal ball over Madrid's high defensive line. Andrei was racing onto it, using every point of his pace.
Varane was tracking, shouting warnings. Ramos was covering centrally. But both Real Madrid center-backs were slow compared to a nineteen-year-old with fresh legs.
Andrei reached the ball first, controlling it at full sprint. Suddenly he was through on goal at the Bernabéu.
Just him and Keylor Navas, 81,000 Madrid fans screaming.
Critical Moment:
Ronaldo watching from midfield
Entire world watching
Can he deliver on this stage?
Time seemed to slow. Andrei remembered every big moment—PSV's miss, Paris's redemption, Bayern's confidence, PSV's winner.
This was different. This was Real Madrid at the Bernabéu in the Champions League knockout rounds.
Don't think. Just execute.
Navas rushed out, trying to narrow the angle. Andrei waited one extra heartbeat—letting the goalkeeper commit—then chipped the ball delicately over him.
The ball floated in the air, seemingly forever, while everyone held their breath.
It dropped into the empty net.
GOAL. Real Madrid 1-1 Ajax.
Time stopped.
The Bernabéu fell silent except for Ajax's 3,000 traveling supporters going absolutely berserk in one corner.
Andrei ran toward those fans, sliding on his knees, overwhelmed by the magnitude of what he'd just done.
GOAL SCORED - At the Bernabéu vs Real Madrid
Significance: MASSIVE statement
Composure: Elite execution under maximum pressure (+0.4)
Overall Rating: 80.4 → 81.0
MILESTONE: 81 OVERALL RATING
Status: Genuinely Elite Player
His teammates mobbed him. Even normally composed players like Schöne were screaming with joy.
He'd scored at the Bernabéu. Against Real Madrid. In the Champions League knockout rounds.
At nineteen years old.
The match continued with renewed intensity. Madrid pushed desperately, their pride wounded. Ronaldo became more involved, trying everything to restore the lead.
In the 67th minute, he nearly did—a thunderous shot from twenty-five yards crashed against Onana's crossbar.
Ajax defended heroically. Every player giving everything, suffering together, refusing to break.
In the 78th minute, Andrei nearly scored again. A quick counter saw him race clear down the left, but his shot from a tight angle was saved brilliantly by Navas.
Major chance created
Status: Causing Madrid serious problems
The final ten minutes were survival. Madrid threw everything forward—Ronaldo, Bale, Benzema, even Ramos pushed into attack.
But Ajax held firm. When the final whistle blew, they'd earned an incredible result.
Final Score: Real Madrid 1-1 Ajax
The away dressing room was euphoric. Ajax had taken a crucial away goal to Amsterdam. They'd shown they could compete with the world's best.
Match Rating (Andrei): 9.1/10
1 Goal (crucial away goal)
Constant threat on counters
Defensive work rate: Exceptional
Impact: Game-changing
In the mixed zone, international media swarmed.
"Andrei, you scored at the Bernabéu against Real Madrid. How do you explain your ability to perform on the biggest stages?"
"I try not to overthink. These are the matches you dream about as a child. When the moment comes, you just trust your training and instincts."
"Cristiano Ronaldo said after the match that you reminded him of himself at nineteen. How does that feel?"
Andrei's eyes widened. He hadn't heard that quote. "That's... incredible. Ronaldo is my idol, one of the greatest ever. If he sees something in my game, that's the ultimate compliment."
"The second leg in Amsterdam—do you believe Ajax can eliminate Madrid?"
"We believe we can compete with anyone. Tonight proved that. The second leg will be difficult, but at home, with our fans, anything is possible."
After all obligations, Andrei found Elena and his mother in the family area. Both had been crying during the match, both were overwhelmed with pride.
Ana hugged him so tightly he could barely breathe. "Your father saw that, dragul meu. From heaven, he saw his son score at the Bernabéu."
Elena kissed him, not caring about cameras or media. "You were magnificent. Absolutely magnificent."
That night, lying in the Madrid hotel with Elena, Andrei processed everything.
He'd scored at the Bernabéu. Against Real Madrid. With Cristiano Ronaldo on the pitch. At nineteen years old.
The system confirmed what he'd achieved:
Historic Achievement: Goal at Santiago Bernabéu
Status: Among European elite
Trajectory: World-class potential confirmed
Current Season Statistics:
Club Appearances: 30 (27 starts)
Club Goals: 13 (Eredivisie: 9, Champions League: 4)
Club Assists: 17 (Eredivisie: 12, Champions League: 5)
Overall Rating: 81.0/99
Elena curled against him, her engagement ring catching the light from outside.
"Three weeks until the second leg," she said softly.
"I know."
"Can you do it again? Can Ajax actually eliminate Real Madrid?"
"I don't know. But we'll try. That's all you can do—try your absolute best and see what happens."
"And after? Whether you win or lose—what then?"
"Then we plan a wedding. Win or lose, succeed or fail, I'm marrying you this summer."
"Best answer possible," she whispered, kissing him.
They fell asleep engaged, in love, having just competed against the world's best and proven they belonged.
The beautiful game kept delivering moments beyond imagination.
And the journey was far from over.