Real Madrid captain Sergio Ramos has moved to clarify comments he made immediately after Real Madrid's 2-1 win over Ajax on Wednesday, which seemed to suggest he picked up his 89th-minute booking on purpose.
Ramos, 32, fouled Kasper Dolberg two minutes after Marco Asensio completed Real's win in the first leg of their UEFA Champions League last-16 clash in Amsterdam. He then said after the match that he "would be lying" if he denied the foul was deliberate, per Marca's Jose Felix Diaz.
The defender clarified his remarks were referring to being forced into the foul, not receiving a yellow card, which rules him out of the second leg and leaves him clear for the quarter-finals should Real advance:
"I'm very surprised by all of this.