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Sergio Ramos Problem
Real Madrid might have been in impressive form this season (though we already have lost 2 matches since the start of the season and are currently in 5fth place in La liga I think) but defender Sergio Ramos has come in for a fair amount of criticism for his play, both going forward and at the back.
Sergio has been hailed as one of the best right backs in Europe by some commentators (he is the best, at such young age, it’s unbelievable that he has achieved so much in his young career, he is just 22) but now he says that he is not enjoying playing because of the critics.
“I feel well personally and mentally but also upset with the comments I am getting and the way I am being criticised,” he started, “I try to keep balance on the pitch but each time I feel more alone on the right side and the problems are always for me. That is a little unfair.”
“One of the solutions would be to change the system of play or to put more solid players there to help me out but today I am not only asked to defend. The fundamental thing for a defender is to defend and if you can contribute more than that is good.“
“I have a very clear concept and that is to contribute the maximum to the team. The unique thing is that [Bernd] Schuster wants us to be concentrated and to give our all. He tells me I do my work well, that I defend well and incorporate into the attack but one has to worry about your position being covered. What cannot happen is that you attack, go forward and then defend against the attack of the other team,” said the defender.
Despite the criticism though Ramos has not lost his place in the side (for now) and has been one of the most utilized players by Bernd Schuster in the season so far. He says that he is currently playing in pain and with trouble though and that he is not being able to play at 100%, even though he ‘enjoys playing in everything.’
Whilst he might enjoy playing in every game he also says that at the moment he is not enjoying playing football because at times he does not get the help he needs down the right like he did with David Beckham and players before him.
“If I am honest I do not enjoy playing. Before I had Beckham and others on the right that helped me a lot but now I am very alone on the wing. The ‘bad day’ rating is for Sergio and always Sergio plays bad and concedes the goal because he was not defending.”
“I remain with the last few minutes against Juventus when [Arjen] Robben and [Royston] Drenthe were down the wings creating pressure and I was a lot more relaxed because I could contribute going forward and in defence. Maybe this system does not suit us but it seems to be the only one which doesn’t do me too badly,” explained the right back.
I can understand what Ramos is going through. He is now attracting the scouts of other European giants and now he knows that he has a reputation. Ac Milan, Manchester United and Manchester City all want him and are willing to pay more than what he currently earns at Real Madrid.
Real Madrid also are not looking interesting in discussing a new deal with Sergio Ramos. Sergio Ramos is a tremendous player, make no mistake on that. I think, Real Madrid should resolve his situation before it gets out of hand and Sergio too leaves Real Madrid like Robinho.
We can’t afford to loose a player of his quality. I know he has not been performing at the levels he did last season but that’s just something that comes along with you when you are a little something called HUMAN.
He can’t play a perfect game all the time for the whole season. So I think the critics should give him some time and space to make him feel confident about himself, rather than pouncing on his every mistake and blaming him for every bad result comes in Real Madrid’s way.
Anyway, Sergio Ramos still believes that Real Madrid can do well in the Champions League despite loosing to a weakened Juventus side.
“I have not had the fortune to go far in the Champions League and we have not won it for many years. I want to win it and the fans deserve it.”
“I think we can win it, we need to improve but we have time,” opined the Spaniard.
More pressingly for Real Madrid and Ramos though is a match against Athletic Bilbao this weekend and the right back predicted that his side will win 2-0 thanks to a header scored by none other than, himself, which he always says. He has scored about 16 goals I think in his time at Real Madrid, so don’t think he will score in that game.
If he did score it would be a good end to a mixed week after the defender found out he is amongst the candidates for the Balon D’Or, something which surprised him, well, it surprised me too.
“It has surprised me and I did not expect it. With things like this you realise that people value your work and performances.“
“It would be a dream to win, nothing is impossible. If you work and sacrifice you can aspire to great things,” declared Ramos.
Sergio Ramos has seen some great players come and go at Real Madrid in his career and with the summer only bringing in one player he acknowledged that maybe the side is missing something, someone to change a game.
“We have formed a very different group, before there were big players like Beckham, with his sacrifice, [Zinedine] Zidane, who is one of the biggest and Ronaldo, who played and plays like the best in the world. Now maybe something is missing in the Bernabéu because there is a good group and I like it but maybe we need a footballer who can change games,” concluded the Spaniard.
He has made exactly my point. That is what I have been saying for a long time (well, since the start of this season) that Real Madrid lack that Zidane touch or Beckham pass or Ronaldo dribbling to decide tight games. There is no one in this Real Madrid side who can pick up this team on his own and perform in a pressure match.
No doubt Sneijder and Van Der Vaart are talented but one can judge from their play that they are not like a Messi or something. Firstly because they cannot perform at level 9 in every match like all great players do and second, they rarely (if not never) produce a magic moment in a pressure situation.
Anyway, In follow up to that Interview with Ramos. Schuster was called in for Pre Match press conference and boy, he has learnt his lessons well and responded well instead of going banana’s, which he usually did when he was new at Real Madrid.
Shuster was unhappy by the Ramos’s statements, but refuted that when grilled by the press ahead of the visit of Los Leones to the Bernabéu.
Ramos bemoaned that he had no help on the right and called for a change of system or the inclusion of better players to play on the right side of the Madrid team.
“I have not read it so I have no opinion,” Schuster stated, attempting to ward off any further questions, but the press continued.
“I do not think that my Spanish had worsened in the past few days. I have said before that I have not read it and therefore cannot respond. I think that it clear enough, no?” the coach insisted.
When told what Ramos had said, Schuster was left with no choice but to state that he was not going to reveal his feelings and would deal with the matter internally.
“It goes on and on. It seems that you feel like talking a lot today. It goes on, I am listening, but I can tell you nothing,” he stated. “You will have to ask him.“
According to reports across the board on Sunday however, Schuster is ready to leave Ramos out and start with Michel Salgado at right-back against Athletic.
That would be a huge mistake because Real Madrid is really under the eye of the whole of Spanish media now, after their 2 consecutive unconvincing performances. Also now that Barcelona have started to find their old form, there is even more pressure on Real Madrid to perform well, not just well, but to give a thrashing to Bilbao in response to Barcelona’s 5-0 drubbing of Almeria.
So it is of extreme importance that Real Madrid field their best sid today, to get atleast a win rather than drop points. Real Madrid just cannot afford to do that.
Real Madrid will go on level points with Barcelona at the top of the table if Real Madrid win tonight.
