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Real Madrid skipper Sergio Ramos' foul on Mohamed Salah in the 2018 UEFA Champions League final was labelled a 'masterstroke' by Italian defender Giorgio Chiellini.
In the 2018 UCL final between Real Madrid and Liverpool in Kyiv, Ramos and Liverpool forward Salah got into a duel during which the Egyptian took an awkward fall while the Spaniard gripped his arm. The result was Salah being subbed off the pitch, and it would be revealed later on that he dislocated his shoulder in the process, due to which he was unable to continue playing.
Speaking on the legendary Real Madrid defender in his autobiography, Chiellini remarked that his duel with Salah was a stroke of genius, saying,
"What he did to Salah was a masterstroke."
Chiellini made it clear that although Ramos denied it to be intentional, he feels that the Spaniard knew precisely what he was doing. He added on the Real Madrid captain,
"He, Sergio (Ramos) the master, has always said that it was unintentional but he was aware that falling in the way that he did, without loosening his grip on that hold, nine times out of 10 you can break your opponent's arm."
The showcase event in the final ended in tears and misery for the Liverpool faithful as goalkeeper Loris Karius was responsible for conceding two goals with what was a pitiful display in goal. Gareth Bale would come off the bench and electrify Kyiv with a long-range effort which Karius would let slip into the goal easily.
Real Madrid's Welshman would follow this up with a spectacular overhead kick to seal the game and Zinedine Zidane's unprecedented European three-peat of the Champions League.
Real Madrid have no defence without Ramos, says Chiellini
Speaking on Ramos' qualities as a defender, Chiellini said that he is a very 'technical' player and is 'more of a striker than a defender'. He has also referred to Ramos as the 'best defender in the world' in the past. The Juventus defender continued,
"You could say he's impulsive and not very tactically aware, that he is responsible for conceding eight or 10 goals a season and if I'm pulled up for two or three I'd be slaughtered. He's a very technical player, more of a striker than a defender, the complete opposite of me."
Chiellini also said that the remainder of Real Madrid's defence would look like 'kids playing for the reserve team' without the legendary Spaniard playing with them.
"Without him, Madrid turn into a team without a defence. Without him, (Raphael) Varane, Marcelo and (Dani) Carvajal look like kids playing for the reserve team."
Real Madrid have resumed training ahead of the proposed La Liga restart in mid-June. They have been boosted by a number of players returning from injury including Marco Asensio, and Eden Hazard.
Being just two points behind rivals Barcelona in a heated title chase, Real Madrid would be eager to get back onto the pitch and resume their assault on the La Liga.
In the Champions League, however, it is a more difficult task than any of Real Madrid's previous endeavours as they will have to overturn a 2-1 deficit against Pep Guardiola's Manchester City at the Etihad. Kevin De Bruyne and co outclassed Real Madrid at the Santiago Bernabéu with Sergio Ramos, incidentally, getting sent off in the dying embers of the fixture.
