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Sergio Ramos came in for criticism during Real Madrid\u2019s 4-1 home defeat to Ajax despite not featuring in the game.<\/p>\nSergio Ramos came in for criticism during Real Madrid\u2019s 4-1 home defeat to Ajax despite not featuring in the game.<\/p>\n
Defender Ramos was booked in the 89th minute of Madrid\u2019s first-leg victory in Amsterdam on February 13, which meant he would miss the second leg of the last-16 tie, but would enter the next round with a clean disciplinary slate.<\/p>\n
Speaking immediately after the match, Ramos was quoted as saying he \u201cwould be lying\u201d if he denied deliberately earning the booking.<\/p>\n
The defender, however, later used social media to stress it had not been intentional to collect a caution, referring instead to purposefully giving away a free-kick to prevent an Ajax equalizer.<\/p>\n
Uefa extended the Spain defender\u2019s ban from one to two games, and while Ajax racked up the goals in a shock win at the Bernabeu, his absence was noted.<\/p>\n
Gary Lineker tweeted: \u201cReal Madrid\u2019s chances may have been better had Ramos not received a seemingly deliberate yellow card in the first leg.\u201d<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, former Norway international Jan Aage Fjortoft wrote: \u201cSo Ramos decided to pick up a yellow card in the first game to be available for the quarterfinal.<\/p>\n
\u201cSo far: IN YOUR FACE\u201d.<\/p>\n
BT Sport presenter Lynsey Hipgrave noted that Ramos had ended up with egg on his face.<\/p>\n
And there appeared to be little sympathy for the 2010 World Cup winner \u2013 Ramos has often been associated with the dark arts of the beautiful game.<\/p>\n
The result saw Madrid knocked out 5-3 on aggregate \u2013 having won the competition three years running, this is their first exit from the Champions League since 2015.<\/p>\n