Two things were glaringly obvious after Real Madrid’s 3-1 victory over Liverpool in the Champions League final on Saturday night – and they were not Loris Karius’ horrendous goal-keeping errors.
I am referring to the “professionalism” of Real Madrid and the naivety of Liverpool.
In my opinion, without doubt, the Sergio Ramos foul on Mohamed Salah was deliberate and designed to cause harm. It was as bad as a two footed, studs up challenge – but a lot more subtle.
Ramos’ foul was cynical and brutish however it was more opportunistic than pre-meditated.
The Spaniard, one of the most experienced and hard nose defenders in the business (as 24 red cards in 13 years will attest), simply used his physical superiority to nullify Salah’s substantial threat.
#Ramos_The_Animal
— Sherif (@sharrofa72) May 26, 2018
This is the only way for you to stop the king pic.twitter.com/OlRuAtXYlQ
Ramos kept close to Salah and when the opportunity arose of the Liverpool goal scorer putting his arm across Ramos’ chest, which was very likely to happen at some point in the game, the Real captain was able to simply hook onto Salah’s arm and using his body-weight drag the Egyptian down to the ground.
In Australian Rugby League its known as a chicken wing tackle and the perpetrator is usually met with a two to four week suspension. Ramos was met with his fourth Champion’s League medal.
What was most upsetting about the incident, and millions around the globe and Egypt particularly lit up Twitter with their rage afterwards, was not so much that Ramos carried it out – but that he felt it was necessary.
The game was beautifully poised. Real Madrid, almost in denial of Liverpool’s famous gegen-press, were determined to play out from the back.
It was like Los Blancos were throwing down the gauntlet saying to Jurgen Klopp and his team ‘We know what you’re going to do – but we are good enough footballers to play through it.’
This needs to be shared.
— FootyYapper (@FootyYapper) May 27, 2018
Sergio Ramos elbowing Karius in the head (2 minutes before Karius made his 1st mistake)pic.twitter.com/31jh58zv5w
In reply Liverpool were going back to forward very fast, with Virgil van Dijk and the back four lobbing the ball over the midfield looking for Salah, Sadio Mane and Roberto Firmino to run in to the tantalizing space left by the high Madrid back four.
All that changed when Salah went off.
Liverpool’s confidence took a massive hit, while Madrid’s received a massive boost and immediately Los Blancos were straight on the attack – confident to commit more resources forward without the worry of Salah raiding in behind.
From then on there was always going to be one winner.
I’m not saying that Ramos’ actions changed the result. Indeed if the match had played out with Salah on the field I think Real Madrid still would have won but it would have been a far more engaging, entertaining and complex contest than the one-sided grind that ensued when the Egyptian departed.
It’s sad that the captain of such a great club did not have enough faith in his cavalcade of superstars to let the match play out with a fit Salah on the field.
He should have trusted that either Cristiano Ronaldo or Gareth Bale (as he did) or Isco or Karim Benzema or Marcello – or anyone else would have come up that moment of magic – of beauty – to win the game. As Bale did.
But Ramos didn’t and now Salah is in a race against time to be fit for the World Cup. What a tragedy it would be if that tournament was also robbed of the Egyptian’s magic.
