The Spanish Football Federation’s Appeals Committee has rejected Real Madrid’s appeal against the yellow card Sergio Ramos picked up in the first leg of the Copa del Rey semi-final against Barcelona, which leaves the Madrid captain walking a disciplinary tightrope in the return leg on 27 February: if Ramos is booked in that game and Madrid go through to the final, he will be forced to watch from the stands.
Real Madrid centre-back Sergio Ramos picked up a yellow card in the first leg of his side’s semi-final tie against Barcelona in the Copa del Rey and Los Blancos have been unsuccessful in their appeal against it. If Ramos receives a yellow card in the second leg, he would miss the final, should Madrid get there, against either Valencia or Real Betis.
Whether that will alter Santiago Solari’s selection policy for the return leg against Barcelona, with the tie poised at 1-1 following the first game at Camp Nou, remains to be seen but Real pulled out all the stops in their attempt to have the card rescinded, providing video evidence that the club said proved that Ramos had not fouled Nelson Semedo to prevent a break in the ninth minute.However, the referee’s match report disagreed and the Appeals Committee upheld the original decision after “meticulously” studying footage of the incident.
Real Madrid have the option of taking their appeal to the Spanish Sports Administrative Court (TAD) within the next 15 days to review the decision of the lower authority.
In addition to a possible Copa del Rey suspension, Ramos is going to miss the second leg of Madrid’s Champions League last 16 tie with Ajax, as well as next weekend’s trip to Levante in LaLiga Santander. If Ramos receives a yellow card in the second leg, he would miss the final, should Madrid get there, against either Valencia or Real Betis.