De Bruyne’s real jolt for Madrid
Man City pull off dramatic comeback to win first leg at Bernabeu, Madrid misery continues
for Sunday’s League Cup final against Aston Villa.
Guardiola insisted on Tuesday that Manchester City’s twoyear Champions League ban, pending appeal, imposed by UEFA for breaching financial fair play rules would not act as a spur for his players.
But it was on the minds of travelling fans, who were singing against European football’s governing body from almost the first minute.
The opening half was tentative with both teams’ priority to stifle and City content to concede possession, so long as Jesus and Riyad Mahrez could race away on the break.
Jesus cut inside Raphael Varane but shot straight at Thibaut Courtois and on the stroke of half-time, the Brazilian came close again, this time Ramos blocking and Fede Valverde hacking away off the line.
Real should have scored when
Karim Benzema’s header was palmed out by Ederson but Vinicius Junior slipped when about to tap in from five yards out with the goal at his mercy.
RAMOS RED
City enjoyed their best spell after the break. Casemiro carelessly conceded possession and De Bruyne tore away, feeding Mahrez, who cut in and curled wide. Jesus drove another shot at Courtois.
Zidane considered a change and Gareth Bale was warming up when Madrid took the lead. Otamendi failed to control a Rodri pass and Vinicius broke, with Kyle Walker and Fernandinho rushing to meet him.
They left Isco free behind them and Vinicius picked him out, giving the Spaniard a simple finish.
The hosts smelt an opportunity for a second as Dani Carvajal weaved through and Ramos’s volley was deflected over by Fernandino.
Bale came on for Madrid and Sterling for City. Shortly after, De Bruyne’s clipped cross was too high for Ramos at the back post and Jesus’s header beat a weak right hand from Courtois to equalise.
Five minutes later, City completed the turnaround when Carvajal slid in late on Sterling and De Bruyne made no mistake from the spot.
The maverick that he is, it was little surprise when Sergio
Ramos joined Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Edgar Davids for a record four red cards in the Champions League on Wednesday. What was surprising is that the red card came after a long gap—the Spanish defender had gone a whole calendar year without being sent off before this match against Manchester City.
This, from the man who has seen 26 red cards since his debut in 2004, the record in La Liga (for context, the next worst offender in La Liga history saw just 9). Ramos was once sent off thrice in one year (2017).
The World Cup winner, twice European Champion, and multiple Champions League and La Liga title holder, can also put his team in trouble at the most inopportune moments. Here’s a look at some of Ramos’ 26.
Five of Ramos’s 26 red cards have come against Barcelona. It all started in 2010, in a match where Real Madrid were drubbed 5-0 by their arch-rivals. Ramos first got a yellow card for rough tackle on David Villa. He later brought down Lionel Messi and was involved in confrontation with Carles Puyol and Xavi Hernandez, resulting in the red card.
The match was special for Ramos as it was his 300th appearance for the Madrid giants. He ensured that it would not be a gentle one as he got two yellow cards to become most red-carded player in Real Madrid’s history in La Liga. Madrid manager Jose Mourinho and Mesut Ozil too were given red cards in that game.
He had already got three red cards in 2013, and the fourth one came when Ramos was booked twice before the half-time. Real Madrid drew the match against their lower-placed opponents. Ultimately, they would finish third in the league, behind Atletico and Barcelona.
Perhaps Ramos gave an early sign of things to come as he got his first red card in Real Madrid colours in only his second appearance for them in La Liga. He got two yellow cards resulting in the red, just like in many occasions to come.
Some of Ramos’ red cards have come due to his selflessness. Against the Turkish club in the Champions League, he brought down Umut Bulut as the last line of defence. He got a straight red.