A disallowed Ajax goal provoked more talk of fortune favouring the Blancos but their 2-1 win in Amsterdam simply underlined their resilience
Ajax were left scratching their heads but Real Madrid have been pulling off these tricks for years.
Somehow the European champions emerged from the Johan Cruyff Arena on Wednesday night with a 2-1 win, despite the hosts dominating this absorbing Champions League last-16 first leg.
At this stage, it almost seems like Real Madrid’s plan to only start playing in the spring, as if anything that comes before February is just part of an extended pre-season.