Real Madrid midfielder Luka Modric has backed teammate Gareth Bale to recover his best form and win back supporters at the club.
The Welshman has been criticised for an alleged lack of commitment to the club and was whistled during Saturday’s 1-0 defeat against Barcelona.
“Players go through phases in their career when they are not at their best, it has happened to me and happens to everyone,” Modric told reporters, as cited by Marca.
“This will pass and what I see with Gareth is a player who is happy and who has not lost any of his hunger and desire for success.
“It is impossible to forget what he has done for this club and the work he has put in to give us so much success, he knows this will return again soon with lots of work.
“The Champions League is very important for us as it is every season but Ajax are a very young team with a lot of ambition, they do not have any fear.
“We know this is key for our season and reaching the quarter-finals is an objective for us, and we hope to win the competition again of course.
“Ajax have nothing to lose and this makes them even more dangerous, so we will need to be on our game to win.”
