Ajax coach Frank de Boer has claimed that his players showed too much respect towards Real Madrid during Wednesday's 4-1 defeat in the Champions League.

Cristiano Ronaldo scored a hat-trick as the Spaniards ran amok in the Amsterdam ArenA.

"We have played quite badly. We have not reached our [best] level and when you don't, you cannot win against Madrid," De Boer told Canal+.

"I always say to the players that you must respect your opponent, but you should never worship them.

"That's something we did today and in that way you can never win against a team like Real."

Ajax are bottom of Group D without a point from their first two games.

Written by
Jack Prescott