Real Madrid captain Sergio Ramos has been charged by UEFA for receiving a yellow card on purpose during the Champions League match against Ajax in order to serve a suspension before the quarter-finals.
Defender Ramos was booked in the 89th minute of Madrid’s 2-1 victory in Amsterdam on February 13, which meant he would therefore miss the second leg of the last-16 tie at the Bernabeu.
Speaking immediately after the match, Ramos was quoted as saying he “would be lying” if he denied deliberately earning the booking.
Ramos later clarified his post-match comments, saying: “I was referring to forcing the foul, a foul that was inevitable. Not to forcing the booking.
“It was a very dangerous counter-attack in the 88th minute, with an open match and the tie as well.”
He added: “That’s why I said that I would lie if I said I did not know that I was carrying a penalty, just as I knew that I had no other choice than to make a mistake. And that’s what I meant when I said that in football you have to make complicated decisions.”
By picking up a suspension at this stage Ramos reduces the risk of missing a potentially more important match later in the competition, as all bookings are wiped following the quarter-final stage.
However, a player who is found to have obtained a booking deliberately can be banned for two games.
When asked if he knew the foul was likely to lead to a yellow card and a ban, Ramos said: “Yes, but I had no choice.”