Two ovations and a few whistles for Sergio Ramos on his return to the Bernabéu 1,456 days later | Soccer | Sports

Sergio Ramos entered the depths of the Santiago Bernabéu this Sunday wearing a gray jersey, alone and dragging a carry-on suitcase while greeting some Real Madrid employees who were on his way. Almost four years later, with a pandemic and a frustrating personal step at PSG in the middle, the central defender returned to Castellana. In total, 1,456 days since another Sunday evening, during a classic on March 1, 2020, when their then team, the Whites, beat Barcelona (2-0).

After so much time, same place but different place for the Andalusian. A Bernabéu with the roof (again) closed and, this time, as a visitor, as when he set foot there for the first time in December 2004, also with Sevilla. Ramos, a confessed bullfighter, can say that this Sunday he was greeted by the public with two cheers at the beginning and then, during the match, he heard a few whistles, not the majority but constant and clear in many phases. It was the 307th meeting at the Bernabéu between Sevilla, Madrid and the national team. He arrived with 52 goals in this arena and left with the same. Also in silence. The defender, who had previously written on his networks that he was facing “the most special match”, closed the day without speaking in public.

During the week, he insisted to Jesús Navas, the captain, to let him wear the armband and his teammate, according to what he himself revealed, agreed. What has not changed is his role as leader of a very populated defense (five elements) and tight ranks which he directed with his classic whistles. Almost everything that concerned Sevilla on the pitch went through him. He was the first to complain to the referee about the disallowed goal against Lucas Vázquez, also for Luka Modric’s goal, and he always (until the Croatian’s 1-0) asked goalkeeper Nyland with his hand to delaying the goal kick while the audience counted the seconds it took for the goalkeeper to start the game. He was alone and, if he deemed it necessary, at someone else’s house. Like when he pulled Toni Kroos away from the referee – “Antonio”, as he called him during a duel against Germany – so that his insistent complaints about a foul did not earn him a second yellow card.

But by then, some fans had already made him understand that the ovation he received when he came out to warm up was not unanimous. Every time he touched the ball, a few whistles fell on him, especially at the start of the night. Not long before, he had heard the second ovation, when the public address system announced the queues. The club, in its only gesture of homage in front of entire stands, left it until last. A detail that was not accidental. Nothing is random in the white stage of staging. When local names are sung, Jude Bellingham has, for weeks, been the last to be mentioned. A subtle way of placing him on the throne. This Sunday, in the absence of the Englishman, it was Vinicius.

Between local complaints to the referee since the first goal and a growing climate of anxiety in the stands, Ramos’ reunion with Madrid took place. The last time they had been together, everything had been much calmer. And doubly sad for him. This happened on May 22, 2021 in the Valdebebas moor, at the time when football was still played in a vacuum for fear of covid. The central defender, already with physical problems that he suffered later at PSG (he did not play the 2022 round of 16 against the meringues), followed from the bench the last match of this League against Villarreal, in which Madrid finished after the Athletic. A few days later, he announced his farewell, lamenting after months of stalled negotiations: “When I accepted the renewal offer, they told me it had already expired. »

Ultimately, his 307th match in the new Chamartín was spoiled by a former colleague, Luka Modric, with whom he exchanged shirts after kissing every Madrid supporter he met after the end. “It was an honor to play against him. I told him before the match. “He was my idol,” Nacho said goodbye.

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