Four-nil!!!!
The shocking scoreline came in the first leg of the Champions League Round of 16!
If one only looked at the result, it might not seem all that astonishing. But if the team that had lost was Manchester United—and they had lost at Old Trafford—then the entire world was bound to be left stunned.
What was even more shocking was that the team that had defeated Manchester United was none other than Eredivisie side Ajax!
Who were Ajax?
They were an Eredivisie team that had not reached the Champions League knockout stage in twelve years and had failed to make it into the Champions League Group Stage for several consecutive years. In a Champions League filled with powerhouses, it was hardly an exaggeration to call such a team a helpless underdog waiting to be carved up.
And what about Ajax's opponent, Manchester United?
A new manager had brought a new lease on life. After Solskjær took over, the team had put together an impressive record of eleven wins and one draw in twelve matches. Arsenal, Chelsea, and Tottenham Hotspur had all fallen before Manchester United, filling everyone with anticipation and convincing them that the Red Devils were on the verge of a powerful revival.
Star players, talented youngsters, established veterans...
Manchester United lacked none of these!
With a team like that, finding the right head coach and then erupting into form was only natural.
Therefore, before the match, everyone believed that Manchester United would have no trouble defeating Ajax at home.
But who could have imagined that this Eredivisie underdog would thrash Manchester United four-nil at Old Trafford!
In an instant, all of Europe—even the entire world—was shocked!
The name Ajax spread rapidly across the globe overnight. Every media outlet and fan was marveling at the team, wondering and