19 March 2025
Spaniard Sergio Ramos, the defender for Mexican club Monterrey, received his first red card with his new team during his fifth match in his current professional career. After leaving his boyhood club Sevilla, Ramos joined Monterrey in the Mexican league last January, where he began his career with a remarkable performance, scoring three goals in just his first five matches.
However, Monterrey's match against Pumas, held on Sunday, witnessed considerable controversy after Ramos was sent off in the final moments of the match.
The story began in the 20th minute when Ramos appeared to elbow an opposing player, an action the referee did not notice and no action was taken at the time. Later, in the final moments of the match, Ramos received his first red card in Mexico for an unnecessary tackle on Pumas star Guillermo Martinez.
The 38-year-old veteran Spanish defender kicked the back of Martinez's right leg in a play that involved no contest, prompting the referee to immediately and without hesitation show Ramos a red card.
However, what was striking was the comment of Pumas coach Efraín Juárez, who expressed his deep displeasure after the match, saying, "Whatever his name is, he should be an example. If someone from our country had done that, he would have been sent off in the 20th minute, not the 90th. That's what bothers me."
He added, "We have to protect our football. He (Ramos) elbowed a young player who he said the day before the match that he considered his role model," referring to Paulo Benevendo, who praised Ramos during the pre-match press conference, describing him as one of the five best defenders in the history of football.
It's worth noting that Monterrey defeated hosts Pumas 3-1 to move up to eighth place in the standings with 19 points.
