Ramos gets two-game European ban for ‘deliberate booking’

Sergio Ramos has been given a two-game ban by Uefa “for clearly receiving a yellow card on purpose” during Real Madrid’s Champions League tie at Ajax. Ramos fouled Kasper Dolberg in the 89th minute with Real 2-1 up, meaning he is suspended for the last-16 second leg. The Spain defender, 32, told reporters afterwards he would “be lying if I said I didn’t force [the booking].”
Uefa opened an investigation and gave him an additional one-match ban for obtaining a booking deliberately. By picking up a suspension at this stage, Ramos reduced the risk of missing a potentially more important match later in the competition, as all bookings are wiped following the quarterfinal stage.
But should Champions League holders Real progress to the last eight, Ramos would be unavailable for the first leg of that tie. Ramos clarified his postmatch comments, saying: “I was referring to forcing the foul, a foul that was inevitable. Not to forcing the booking. “It was a very dangerous counter-attack in the 88th minute, with an open match and the tie as well.”
He added: “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.” (BBC Sport)