Soccer-Ajax blame summer sales for record defeat in Champions League

Soccer Football - Champions League - Group A - Ajax Amsterdam v Napoli - Johan Cruijff Arena, Amsterdam, Netherlands - October 4, 2022 Ajax Amsterdam's Dusan Tadic is shown a yellow card by the referee REUTERS/Piroschka Van De Wouw

AMSTERDAM (Reuters) - Ajax Amsterdam blamed the sale of key players in the close season for their record European loss after being thumped 6-1 at home by Napoli in the Champions League on Tuesday.

Coach Alfred Schreuder and captain Dusan Tadic said Ajax were struggling after losing the likes of Antony, Lisandro Martinez, Ryan Gravenberch and Sebastien Haller in the summer and that they lacked cohesion and confidence.