Sergio Ramos leaves, Real Madrid goes on

Zidane asked for Sergio Ramos’ contract to be extended, but he left without getting his way. When Ancelotti arrived he didn’t seem quite as bothered about the issue, the old fox that he is. Sergio Ramos got into a battle with Florentino Pérez that the defender couldn’t win. The Real Madrid president had neither the money nor the desire to give Ramos the new contract he was demanding, and I’m not surprised. The club captain’s analysis of the situation was off. He’s already 35, Alaba was a free agent and the club has lost 270 million euros with the fans kept out of the grounds. We’ve been watching a game of poker over the past few months with messages sent out through intermediaries, but there was only going to be one ending. Florentino wasn’t going to fold.

Ramos and Pérez to talk on Thursday

Both are going to talk today, Thursday, in what I expect to be a pleasant event. Every ending is sad, but it’s always better if it’s dignified. Players leave, presidents leave, the club goes on. Sergio has been a legend, he’s off having played a heap of games and having won a bunch of titles, but for those of us who have seen players leave since Di Stéfano it’s not frightening. Lots of folk are arguing that Ramos deserves recognition for everything he’s done. He’s had that recognition, just like everyone does at work, with the payment of the salary he agreed to. The bonus is today’s event, something not everyone gets. But his bonus can’t be being paid to stay when the club has decided it’s not worth it.

Because Sergio Ramos has also been unlucky over the past months. A series of injuries along with falling ill with covid-19 has seen him constantly out of the team with little effect. Up until recently his absences were almost synonymous with defeat. It’s not like that anymore. Nacho has covered for his absences, alongside Militao when Varane was out. And now, I repeat, Alaba’s coming in. The Varane situation still needs resolved, but Ramos is no longer the cornerstone, without which everything comes tumbling down. He’s even out of Euro 2020. He’s a legendary player, we’ll never forget him, but he chose a bad time to pick this particular battle.