‘I’m here to work’: Santiago Solari insists he will not quit Real Madrid after Champions League exit
Santiago Solari said he would not walk away from the Real Madrid job after his team were knocked out of the Champions League.
‘We’re sad and we’re annoyed,’ said the beleaguered manager after seeing his side thrashed 4-1 at home by Ajax, a result which saw them exit the competition 5-3 on aggregate. ‘We did all we could but it was not enough.
‘I’m here to work. We have to be professional and come back to work tomorrow. I have not come here to take on such a difficult moment at the club to then give up.’
Real Madrid manager Santiago Solari insisted on Tuesday night that he will not quit his job
Solari watched on as Real were beaten 4-1 at home by Ajax in the Champions League last 16
Real have now lost four consecutive home matches in all competitions.
Asked if it would be fair were Real to sack him, Solari replied: ‘That’s not a judgement I should make.
‘Tomorrow we get back to training. We have a league game at the weekend. We all have the obligation, a professional duty and because of our hearts we owe to this team to come and train tomorrow and give our best.’
Asked about Dani Carvajal’s comments that the season had been ‘s**t’, he added: ‘Things always get said in the heat of the moment after these games.’
Dani Carvajal declared Real’s season over and described the campaign as ‘shit’ on Tuesday
Solari responded: ‘Things always get said in the heat of the moment after these games’
Meanwhile, Ajax coach Erik ten Hag said: ‘Belief was very important for us tonight. We showed that it was possible.
‘We have lots of individual great moments but as a team we played fantastically well.
‘If you win 4-1 against the champions, what more can you do?
‘We have to live by the day, but we see a very interesting process as a team and as individuals. The team deserves congratulations but the prizes are handed out at the end.’
Asked where this ranked in great Ajax nights in Europe, Erik Ten Hag added: ‘It’s a vote of confidence for the philosophy of Dutch football and Ajax in particular.’
Ajax coach Erik ten Hag was impressed with his side after they progressed 5-3 on aggregate
