'I'm a big VAR fan' - Ramos celebrates controversial overturned goal after Ajax victory

Real Madrid defender Sergio Ramos revealed his admiration of Video Assisted Referee technology after it played a hand in the club's narrow Champions League victory over Ajax.

Ramos' team were forced onto the back foot for the vast majority of the first half on Wednesday as the hosts controlled proceedings.

For one fleeting moment it appeared that the winners of the last three Champions League titles would have to fight from a goal down when Nicolas Tagliafico took advantage of Thibaut Courtois' fumble to head home.

But VAR had other ideas, ruling that Dusan Tadic had interfered with play from an offside position as he stepped across the Belgian's path prior to the goal.

The controversy follows hot on the heels of the weekend's heated Madrid derby victory over Atletico which also saw the technology take centre-stage, but Ramos is in no doubt that its presence is beneficial.

"I am a big fan of VAR and little by little it is making football fairer," the veteran, who made his 600th Madrid appearance in the last-16 tie, told Movistar.

"There have been occasions where it has hurt us more and today it ruled out a goal against us that was crucial."

Goals from Karim Benzema and Marco Asensio eventually led to a 2-1 victory in Amsterdam, the Madrid duo netting either side of Hakim Ziyech's momentary equaliser in a more even second half.

But despite the result, Ramos ended the game with great respect for Madrid's beaten foes, who now face an uphill battle in the second leg.

"It was a huge atmosphere, great fans and a great team with a lot of personality", he added.

"We knew they would play at that level, we suffered, it was not our best game, we had to stick together and we were able to take advantage on the counter, we got two goals to their one and it is a big step in the series.

"Ajax are a team who grow when they play at home, pressing very high, there was not much time to receive the ball and hurt them.

"We changed the flow of the game, trying to look for space behind the back of the defence. In the end it is a huge result and now it will be their turn to suffer away with our fans."

Ajax travel to the Santiago Bernabeu for the second leg on March 5, knowing only a win will be good enough to keep their hopes of making the quarter finals alive.