Sergio Ramos should have been sent off twice, coach insists

Sergio Ramos has continued his action-packed start to his career in Mexico. The Spaniard was at the centre of the controversy on Sunday evening as his Monterrey side beat Pumas UNAM despite a red card for Ramos.

In his first four games for Monterrey Ramos had scored three times but his involvement against Pumas was less impressive. The former Real Madrid man was dismissed in the 92nd minute for a wild kick out at Guillermo Martínez Ayala.

That incident earnt Ramos a straight red card, the 29th of his career. But Pumas were furious that he did not receive his marching orders earlier in the game when video footage appeared to capture Ramos aiming a crafty elbow at Pablo Bennevendo midway through the first half. The veteran defender was brought in to add his experience to Martín Demichelis' Rayados side but he showed his impetuous side on Sunday with two pretty clear acts of violent conduct, both of which could have been red cards.

The Mexican top flight operates with a VAR system but officials decided that Ramos' actions in the first half did not warrant intervention. Immediately after the game, Pumas issued a strongly worded statement demanding an explanation from the Mexican authorities.

“Club Universidad Nacional expresses its deepest condemnation and displeasure with today’s officiating, both on the field and with the VAR. In more than one play, they harmed our team, with obvious errors that went directly to the scoreboard,” the statement said.

“We demand that the Director General of the Referees Commission, Mr. Juan Manuel Herrero, conduct a detailed analysis of this match and take action to ensure the real growth of refereeing in Mexico.”

Pumas head coach Efraín Juárez echoed that sentiment in his postgame comments, even suggesting that Ramos had escaped punishment due to his lofty personal reputation in the game.

Juárez insisted: “Their centerback has to be out by the 20th minute, no matter what his name is. If it had been a player from our country, he would have come off in the 20th minute, not the 90th. That’s what bothers me.”

For his part, Ramos didn’t seem too concerned about the incident. Writing on social media he said: Very important win away from home against a difficult team. Time to rest and prepare what’s next. P.S.: It was obvious I couldn’t leave this league without a red card."

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