Sergio Ramos' Real Madrid and Spain controversies

Spain face England live on Sky Sports in the Nations League

Richard Morgan

Football journalist @Richiereds1976

Saturday 8 September 2018 20:31, UK

Sergio Ramos will captain Spain against England at Wembley on Saturday in a match you can see live on Sky Sports. Here we look back at some of the most controversial moments from the defender's illustrious career.

The Real Madrid centre-back is a player who has produced any number of talking points since making his La Liga debut for Sevilla back in February 2004.

When people say Ramos' name, the first thing they tend to mention is his disciplinary record in Spain, with him having been sent off an incredible 19 times in La Liga - more than anyone else.

It is not just the 32-year-old's red-card record that has caused raised eyebrows over the years, though, but these controversial incidents as well…

Seeing red again

We do not have time to go through all of Ramos' record-breaking 19 red cards in La Liga, so let's just pick out one that best sums up the centre-back's, at times, rugged approach to defending.

That was in 2010 when Ramos completely lost the plot during a 5-0 thrashing at the Nou Camp, with the defender being sent off for booting Barcelona's Lionel Messi, who had just embarrassed him with an outrageous piece of skill.

The Real player was not done there, though, pushing Carles Puyol in the face, as Barca's players surrounded him, before attacking Gerard Pique. And then, after heading down the tunnel, he also went for the waiting Xavi.

Your country needs you

After Cesc Fabregas and Diego Costa withdrew from Spain's squad for a European Championship Qualifier against Belarus and a friendly against Germany four years ago, Ramos spoke out against the Chelsea pair.

The La Roja captain said he would like players to show the same commitment to the national side as they do to their clubs, prompting this response from then Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho: "Ramos is a fantastic player but he is not a doctor. I don't think Sergio did a medicine masters in the last couple of years to understand it."

An Agent Provocateur

Despite being born in Seville and starting his career at the Ramon Sanchez Pizjuan, Ramos is Public Enemy No 1 in Andalucia after an incident in a Copa del Rey clash with his former club back in January 2017.

Ramos angered Sevilla fans after taking an outrageous 'Panenka'-style penalty, before further enraging the home faithful by celebrating his goal right in front of them.

"I came here to play a long time ago, it wasn't the reception I was hoping for but you have to respect it. I asked for forgiveness and my celebration wasn't meant as a lack of respect or an insult to anyone," he later said in a contrite apology.

The best of enemies

Ramos and Pique have been squabbling in public for years, despite the duo lining up alongside each other in central defence for Spain on countless occasions.

Whether it be tensions over Catalonia, Ramos' claim "we already know about Pique's world, where everything's a plot against him", or the Real skipper sarcastically clapping his rival while appearing to mouth "talk now, talk now" having been sent off in El Clasico in April 2017, the Madrid defender has never been shy of getting stuck into his compatriot.

A bit of foot in mouth

After Real's 3-0 home defeat to Barca in last December's Clasico, Ramos again courted controversy following a remark about deposed Catalan leader Carles Puigdemont.

The tough-tackling central defender was lucky to escape with just a booking after catching Luis Suarez in the head with his arm during the second half at the Santiago Bernabeu.

When asked about the incident following the game, however, Ramos inadvisably commented: "In Barcelona they will say I should go to prison with Puigdemont. I went into the challenge and shrugged [Suarez] off, but I had no intention to hit him."

Shouldering the blame in Kiev

Ramos caused huge controversy after becoming entangled with Liverpool forward Mo Salah in May's Champions League final, prematurely ending the Egyptian's game as a result.

Salah left the field in tears with his shoulder in a sling, before the defender generated more headlines after colliding with Reds 'keeper Loris Karius.

The German, who went on to make two horrific mistakes in Real's 3-1 win, was subsequently diagnosed with concussion some weeks later.

Ramos, however, had little sympathy for Liverpool's players, commenting: "I am only missing Roberto Firmino saying he got a cold because a drop of my sweat landed on him."

He's no P Diddy…

Oh, and then there is the song Ramos released prior to the 2018 Champions League final in which the "legend born with golden balls" describes his journey from the streets of Camas to World and European Cup glory.

"My house, some friends, a lot of magic and this is the result: my life in a song and lots of verses still to write," he raps.

The less said about this, though, the better...

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