Sergio Ramos' blasé attitude about picking up a yellow card against Ajax could - and should - come back to hurt him
Sergio Ramos admits to intentionally getting a yellow card - showing perplexing naivety and a lack of understanding for the rules.
Ramos, who picked up a yellow card against the Dutch outfit in the 90th minute of the match with Madrid 2-1 up in the Netherlands, decided to bring down an Ajax player in a somewhat cynical and unnecessary way.
The booking means that Ramos will be out of the second leg but will then return for the quarter final - or so he thinks...
Ramos, speaking about the incident, said that he "would be lying if I didn't admit that I forced the card."
"It is not to underestimate Ajax or think that the tie is over but I decided to rest in the return leg."
This admission should prove all that is necessary for UEFA to put a two-match ban on the Spanish defender, something which would see him miss both the return leg and the first leg of the quarter final.
It's an embarrassing showing of a lack of understanding for the rules by one of the world's greatest defenders, and a two-match suspension would be a very suitable punishment for a player looking to get around the rules.
In fact, we can use Porto as an excellent frame of reference for this very matter; Jesus Corona, one of Porto's star players this campaign, was given a two-match ban after the 5th match of the group stage with UEFA determining that Corona picked up his third yellow card of the tournament against Schalke on purpose, deciding further punishment was needed.
It meant not only did he miss the dead-rubber match with Galatasaray in the final group stage game, but he also missed the first leg game against Roma in the round of sixteen.
If Sergio Ramos doesn't get a two-game suspension for intentionally getting yellow-carded against Ajax, there's a shocking lack of continuity by UEFA. And here's why.