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3. Sergio Ramos (4)
Although he is one of the most decorated footballers in world football, Sergio Ramos also happens to be one of the most commonly entered names in the referee’s notebook.
Like Joel Veltman, he received his most recent sending-off in this season’s edition of the UEFA Champions League after getting booked twice in the first leg of their tie against Manchester City. Given his notoriously physical and antagonistic style of play, you would be forgiven for thinking that his tally would be much higher than 4 in 124 appearances.
That red card put him level with Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Edgar Davids on 4 red cards in the UEFA Champions League, with the Real Madrid skipper occupying third place solely by virtue of the number of minutes he has played in the tournament.
However, he remains in pole position to claim that dubious distinction outright. He could even move up from third in the all-time red card standings, as the red against Manchester City marked his 26th career dismissal, just one behind second-placed Cyril Rool. First place on that illustrious list remains a distant dream, however, as he would have to commit a huge number of transgressions to catch up to Gerardo Bedoya on 46.
2. Zlatan Ibrahimovic (4)
Although not plying his trade in the UEFA Champions League currently, Zlatan Ibrahimovic shows no signs of stopping even at the age of 38. His former teams read like a who’s who of European footballing royalty, including the likes of Manchester United, PSG, Barcelona, Ajax, and the Italian triumvirate of Juventus, AC Milan, and Inter.
The striker’s fiery temper earned him 4 red cards in 120 appearances, a figure that might still go up before he hangs up his boots. These dismissals include one for Juventus against Real Madrid, one for Inter against Bayern and two for PSG against Chelsea and Valencia.
1. Edgar Davids (4)
At first glance, Edgar Davids might seem an unlikely name to be atop a list of players who have received the most red cards in Champions League history. However, when you consider the fact that the combative midfielder earned the nickname ‘Pitbull’ for his ability to terrorise opposition players, it becomes a little clearer.
It makes even more sense when you find out that Davids never received a straight red in his 74 Champions League appearances for Inter Milan, AC Milan, Juventus, or Ajax - all 4 of his sendings-off were for 2 yellow cards.
