Sergio Ramos Charged with Receiving Yellow Card on Purpose vs. Ajax in UCL
UEFA have charged Real Madrid captain Sergio Ramos with deliberately getting himself booked.
According to BBC Sport, the incident happened in the recent UEFA Champions League game against Ajax, with the teams meeting in the first leg of the round of 16.
Los Blancos won the game 2-1 in the Netherlands. Ramos was booked in the 89th minute for fouling Kasper Dolberg, triggering a suspension for him for the second leg in the Spanish capital.
Per BBC Sport, Ramos hinted in a post-match interview he had forced the yellow card to avoid a potential suspension for the quarter-finals but later denied the suggestion after commenting he would "be lying if I said I didn't force [the booking]".
"I was referring to forcing the foul, a foul that was inevitable. Not to forcing the booking," said Ramos. "It was a very dangerous counter-attack in the 88th minute, with an open match and the tie as well."
The player later expanded on his comments, adding further clarification on his version of events: "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."
Ramos' case is set to be heard Feb. 28. UEFA have the option of adding further games to any suspension.
