Erik ten Hag Admits Ajax Will Continue to 'Push Boundaries' After UCL Victory Over Juventus

Ajax manager Erik ten Hag has insisted his side will continue to 'push boundaries' after beating Juventus 3-2 on aggregate in their Champions League quarter-final.

With the first leg ending in a 1-1 draw, Matthijs de Ligt scored the winner in the second leg on 67 minutes to win 2-1 on the night, after Donny van de Beek had cancelled out Cristiano Ronaldo's opener in the first-half. 

The result means Ajax have reached the semi-finals of the Champions League for the first time since 1997. Their prize is a tie against either Manchester City or Tottenham, with Ten Hag relishing a tie against one of the Premier League sides. 

Speaking after the match, as quoted by Reuters, he said: "This team grows and grows. We know how to push boundaries every time. And with Tottenham or Manchester City there will be another challenge. We look forward to it 

"This is enjoyment. We had to survive their storm in the beginning. We had a hard time coming out of the pressure, but allowed Juventus almost nothing.

"In the second half we had three, four clear-cut chances. I think we should have put the game to bed much faster. But I am happy and proud of my team."

This season could be a historic one for Ajax, with the prospect of winning the treble very much on. The club currently top the Eredivise, are into the final of the Dutch Cup and now have a Champions League semi-final to look forward to. 

It's a progression that Ten Hag claims the entire nation of the Netherlands should be proud of, with Ajax becoming the first Dutch side since PSV Eindhoven in 2005 to reach the Champions League semi-finals.

He added: "It's a result that is very important for Dutch football.

"We are on the way back, the signs are there. We have incredible talents and for our nation, it will get better and better. We were not favourites, but with our philosophy, we again exceeded our limits."