De Boer ready for Real challenge

Frank de Boer believes Ajax can cause an upset when they face Real Madrid in the Champions League on Wednesday.

The 42-year-old, who had a four-year spell at arch-rivals Barcelona during his playing career, thinks that despite the odds being stacked against his side, anything is possible if the players believe in themselves.

“There’s a big chance Real Madrid will win, because they’ve got more quality and experience, but if we play our own game, you never know,” the former Barcelona player told.

“It is all about believing in yourself. Against Real Madrid last year, and Manchester United, we’ve shown that we are able to keep up,”

“We must be very careful with the ball when we have possession. We did well last weekend against FC Twente, as they were waiting for us to lose the ball.

“But Real Madrid are so effective on the counter. That was very clear last year at the Bernabeu when they beat us 3-0.”

When asked whether he thought the Madrid coach Jose Mourinho would be side-tracked by the prospect of El Clasico on Sunday, de Boer said: “The Champions League is really important for them. Last year they won the title in La Liga, and now they’re aiming for this title.

“I don’t think Real and Mourinho are thinking about El Clasico. The press does, but that does not mean that they do too.”