#360view: Ramos return a Real boost

Andy West 01:34 17/03/2015
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  • Sergio Ramos has been missed by Real Madrid over recent weeks.

    Love him or hate him – and for many people it’s the latter – the last few weeks have again proven that Sergio Ramos is absolutely indispensable to Real Madrid.

    During the central defender’s six-week absence with a hamstring injury, Los Blancos won only four of their eight games, suffering an embarrassing 4-0 local derby hammering against Atletico, losing at home against Schalke and encountering another defeat against midtable Athletic Bilbao.

    His first game back, in marked contrast, delivered three points and a clean sheet in Sunday’s 2-0 stroll over Levante. Of course, that was significantly aided by the fact that Levante played poorly, and Ramos was by no means the only factor behind his team’s upturn: Luka Modric’s return from injury and Gareth Bale’s drastic personal improvement were also vital.

    But with Ramos back alongside his trusted defensive partner Pepe, there was a look of assurance and authority which had been conspicuous by his absence over recent weeks, especially during the four-goal debacles against Schalke and Atletico.

    Ramos is one of those players whose mere presence lifts the performance of those around him. As well as intimidating opponents, the aggression and physicality which has got him into such trouble with referees over the years (he has been red-carded on a club record 19 occasions) also serves as a spark and a warning to his teammates.

    If you’re playing alongside Ramos, delivering a half-hearted effort is not an option. The same level of full-blooded commitment which he displays is also expected of everyone around him, along with a stubborn refusal to accept defeat until the final whistle.

    That trait was most famously evident, of course, in Madrid’s most recent famous victory when he netted the last-minute leveller to force extra time in last season’s ultimately triumphant Champions League final victory over Atletico. 

    And it is an attitude which has been all too lacking during the team’s dip in form over the last few weeks, starting with the 4-0 humbling in the Vicente Calderon against Atletico – if Ramos had been on the pitch, you can be sure, the contest wouldn’t have been quite so one-sided.

    With Sunday’s mouthwatering Clasico trip to Barcelona looming, Ramos’s return to action has clearly come at a crucial time. It is a game that Madrid cannot afford to lose.

    If they do, they will be four points behind the leaders and therefore needing Barca to drop points in at least two of their remaining 10 games to have even a mathematical chance of taking the title.

    Going up against the combined and in-form might of Lionel Messi, Neymar and Luis Suarez, the effectiveness of Madrid’s defence will obviously play a key role in determining the outcome.

    As Malaga and Celta Vigo have shown this season, it is possible to win and even keep a clean sheet at the Nou Camp, but only with great levels of organisation, teamwork, commitment and rigour. And with the inspirational Ramos finally back in the fold, Madrid’s chances of reigniting their title challenge suddenly got a bit better.

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