Sergio Ramos has criticised fans who booed him throughout Real Madrid’s Fifa Club World Cup victory over Al Ain on Sunday, with the Spain captain apparently still facing a backlash for the tackle that forced Mohamed Salah out of the Champions League final.
Ramos labelled the abuse “inexplicable” after being repeatedly jeered during Madrid’s 4-1 victory that secured a third consecutive Club World Cup.
But the 32-year-old was not able to soak up the adulation of the triumph inside the Zayed Sports City Stadium in Abu Dhabi, given that he reacted badly to the treatment he received from local fans.
If their plan was to unsettle the Real Madrid skipper, it worked as he spoke after the victory to demand that they show him more “respect”.
"I got that," he told reporters when asked about the boos being directed at him. "The whistles are inexplicable. I think you have to respect the figures of football."
It appears that Ramos was targeted by fans who were showing solidarity with Egyptian Salah, who suffered a dislocated shoulder in a robust tackle from the Spaniard during last season’s Champions League final.
Ramos has repeatedly denied any deliberate intention to hurt Salah, but has very much fit the bill as the pantomime villain ever since.
Ramos’ gripes soon turned to cheers as he lifted the Club World Cup for the fourth time in his career, having helped secure victory over local side Al Ain by scoring Madrid’s third goal. Midfielder Luka Modric opened the scoring early in the first half before Marcos Llorente and Ramos put the Champions League winners out of reach, and although Al Ain left-back Tsukasa Shiotani pulled one back in the closing stages, Yahia Nader’s injury-time own-goal secured the comfortable victory and with it the first trophy under Santiago Solari’s tenure.
