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On late Wednesday night, Real Madrid registered a comfortable win over their UEFA Champions League opponents, Viktoria Plzen. It was indeed a huge victory (5-0) after a long time and strengthens their position in their group. But Sergio Ramos leaving one of his famous elbows on his opponent does leave a bitter taste amidst this huge victory.
For people following football over a decade or so, Sergio Ramos' rash and often foolish tackles are not shocking anymore. He has been warned, booked and suspended for his antics but it just seems that he can't let this nasty habit go. Although Sergio Ramos cleared that it was not his intention to hurt the Viktoria Plzen player on social media, his record speaks otherwise.
He has been sent off 24 times in his career and all for Real Madrid. Some of them could have been avoided and some of them were unnecessary, to say the least. But one thing we have learned over the years that Sergio Ramos won't change. He loved bullfighting while growing up and his instincts haven't changed in recent years.
The Mo Salah incident
Critics and football fans around the globe often called for his head. The recent mammoth controversy sparked when Sergio Ramos left Mohamed Salah with a nasty injury in the UEFA Champions League final. It was a night of disappointment for Liverpool fans and the anti-Ramos crusade is going on since then.
The four-time Champions League winner is not getting any younger. He will soon turn 33 years old and it is futile to make him understand his harmful ways while charging towards a player. But the divided opinions between the Real Madrid fans and his critics are not that hard to understand when it comes to Sergio Ramos.
Football has never been a gentleman's game. Sergio Ramos is certainly not a gentleman on the pitch. He comes on to serve his team and even the critics won't doubt his passion and commitment towards his club and country. Sergio Ramos embodies the spirit of Spanish National team and Madridismo whenever he comes on the pitch.
Ramos never shies away from challenges or compromise even a bit on the pitch. The likes of Fabio Cannavaro and Roy Keane had critics as well and garnered hatred from rival fans occasionally but they are loved and hailed by their own fans for their dedication towards their club and country.
Winning awards and trophies or being a great defender does not give him the authority to injure another player, intentionally or unintentionally. But it is obvious that he would not get away with it and has been punished for his blunders more often than not. It is time we all accept the fact that his rash tackles may put his team in danger. His nature won't win applauds from all the sections of the world.
But there is no doubt about his capabilities and his massive impact on the pitch. He would be criticized for his recklessness and will be hailed as a legend for his heroics. The likes of Paolo Maldini hail him as a great defender and Sergio Ramos would surely retire as a legend. After all, he will always be a major part of the Real Madrid and Spanish squad which made history.
