Ramos is a brutal, ruthless defender – Klopp

Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp has described Sergio Ramos’s challenge on Mohamed Salah during the Champions League final as “ruthless” and “brutal”. During the first half of the showdown in Kiev, Salah needed to be substituted after falling awkwardly on his shoulder as a result of a tackle from Real Madrid centreback Ramos.

The referee deemed the exchange to be fair but Klopp has now had his say on the matter, claiming that the official was wrong to take no action against the defender.

Klopp is quoted by Sky Sports News as saying: “If you watch it back and you are not with Real Madrid, then you think it is ruthless and brutal. If you put all of the situations of Ramos together, and I have watched football since I was five years old, then you will see a lot of situations with Ramos.

“I think in a situation like that, somebody needs to judge it better. If VAR is coming then it is a situation where you have to look again. Not to give a red card or whatever but to look again and say ‘What is that?’

“It was ruthless. I don’t think Mo would have always got injured in that situation, this time it was unlucky, but it is an experience that we cannot have. I’m not sure if it is an experience we will have again - go there and put an elbow to the goalkeeper, put their goalscorer down like a wrestler in midfield and then you win the game.”

Salah struggled during the World Cup with Egypt, but the attacker impressed on his return for Liverpool in a friendly with Manchester City earlier this week.