Sergio Ramos Corrects Comments He Deliberately Picked Up Booking vs. Ajax

Real Madrid captain Sergio Ramos has moved to clarify comments he made immediately after Real Madrid's 2-1 win over Ajax on Wednesday, which seemed to suggest he picked up his 89th-minute booking on purpose. 

Ramos, 32, fouled Kasper Dolberg two minutes after Marco Asensio completed Real's win in the first leg of their UEFA Champions League last-16 clash in Amsterdam. He then said after the match that he "would be lying" if he denied the foul was deliberate, per Marca's Jose Felix Diaz.

The defender clarified his remarks were referring to being forced into the foul, not receiving a yellow card, which rules him out of the second leg and leaves him clear for the quarter-finals should Real advance:

"I'm very surprised by all of this. I meant to force the foul, a foul that was inevitable; not to force the suspension. [...]

"Yes, but I had no choice. It was a very dangerous counter-attack in the 88th minute with the match wide open and the tie as well. That's why I said that I'd be lying if I said that I didn't know that I would be suspended, just as I knew that I had no choice but to make the foul. And that's what I meant when I said that in football you have to make difficult decisions."

More comments from Ramos appeared to back up the suggestion that he felt his side were capable of backing up their first-leg win in Madrid and progressing without him:

UEFA released a report announcing a disciplinary investigation into Ramos' booking and whether he picked it up intentionally to clear his slate ahead of the quarters. If found guilty, the Spain veteran could face a two-match ban, per Goal:

The Mirror's Alex Richards reported on images that appeared to show Ramos gesturing to the Real bench with his right hand ahead of his booking, appearing to ask "lo busco," which translates to "should I look for it?"

Ramos was asked why he was surprised at the allusion and continued:

"Of course. If I wanted to force a suspension, I could have done it in the group stage - in the game against Roma, because we were already qualified in first place, and in the last game against CSKA [Moscow] as it was inconsequential. By the way, a match for which I was not called up."

The Champions League titleholders went ahead thanks to Karim Benzema after an hour, and Asensio supplied the decider after Hakim Ziyech equalised with 15 minutes remaining.

BBC Sport podcaster Steve Crossman said he wasn't buying Ramos' explanation:

UEFA are sure to take Ramos' explanation into account when making their final decision on his fate, with Real still at risk of losing their star defender for the second leg in Madrid and the first portion of any quarter-final.