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What's the story?
Real Madrid captain Sergio Ramos has expressed his surprise at the controversy that followed his yellow card against Ajax, saying that he had 'no choice' in the decision.
In case you didn't know...
Wednesday saw defending European champions Real Madrid register a crucial win over Ajax in the first leg of their Champions League round of 16 fixture.
A VAR-ruled offside goal and Ramos' controversial yellow card marred the fixture and a UEFA investigation is now underway to inquire into the comments made by the Blancos captain after the game.
Speaking to reporters, the Spaniard revealed that he intentionally received the booking so that he does not miss the quarter-finals of the competition. He said (via FourFourTwo), "Looking at the result, I'd be lying if I said I didn't force [the booking]."
"It is not to underestimate the opponent nor to think that the series is over, but in football, you have to make tough decisions."
Ramos, however, backtracked from the comments in a tweet he posted which translates to, "I want to make it clear that it hurts more than anyone, I have not forced the card, as I did not against Roma in my previous Champions League match.
"I will support from the stands as one more fan with the illusion of being in the quarters."
The heart of the matter
Ramos has once again clarified what he meant by the comments. When asked if he knew his challenge would lead to a yellow and a ban, he replied (via BBC), "Yes, but I had no choice."
"I'm very surprised about all this. I was referring to forcing the foul, a foul that was inevitable. Not to force the booking."
"It was a very dangerous counter-attack in the 88th minute, with an open match and the tie as well."
"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."
What's next?
Ramos is currently still under investigation and it remains to be seen what decision UEFA will take on the issue.
Meanwhile, Real Madrid will shift their focus to LaLiga where they are set to face Girona on Sunday.
