Real Madrid right-back Dani Carvajal admits he has “never felt this awful” after being knocked out of the Champions League by Ajax – ending the club’s three years of European domination.
The La Liga giants fell to a 4-1 defeat at the Santiago Bernabeu on Tuesday night, eliminating them from the Champions League for the first time since May 2015, when they were beaten by Juventus in the semi final.
It follows two El Clasico defeats in the past week, which have left Real out of the Copa del Rey and 12 points behind league leaders Barcelona in the Spanish title race.
Speaking after the 4-1 defeat by Ajax, Carvajal said: “I think I have never felt this awful, I do not know how to explain it.
“This week everything has gone against us. Tonight we cannot look for excuses. Our opponents were better and they deserved to go through. We have to show our faces and not hide, our season has been a piece of s***.”
Real are likely to end the season trophyless and face a race with rival Atletico Madrid, who are five points ahead, to finish second in La Liga.
The Spanish press have claimed it is the end of an era for this Real team, with Marca’s front page headline on Wednesday morning reading: “Here lie a team that made history.”
Carvajal told Movistar Plus: “In one week, we’ve lost everything.
“I don’t see this as the end of a cycle. We have a young team, but the margin for improvement is enormous; we have to face that and not shy away.”