Sergio Ramos booking: The Uefa rule which means Real Madrid captain faces two-match ban for ‘deliberate’ Ajax yellow card Plan to miss return leg could backfire if Real Madrid captain is found guilty of deliberate booking thanks to Uefa disciplinary regulations

Sergio Ramos could be given a two-game ban from Uefa if he is found guilty of picking up a deliberate booking against Ajax.

The Real Madrid captain was shown a yellow card for a late foul on Kasper Dolberg in the 89th minute of the Champions League last 16 first leg tie on Wednesday night, two minutes after Marco Asensio’s goal had sealed a 2-1 win.

Ramos appeared to admit after the game that the foul was intentional so that he could miss the second leg at the Santiago Bernabeu but return in time for the quarter-finals.

However, his ploy appears to have backfired.

Ramos will definitely serve an automatic one-match ban because it was his third booking of this season’s competition but, thanks to a Uefa ruling on deliberate yellow cards, he could also miss the first leg of the quarter-finals should Real progress.

Uefa Disciplinary Regulations Article 15(1)C: Suspension for two competition matches or a specified period for clearly receiving a yellow or red card on purpose.

According to the Uefa Disciplinary Regulations, players face a two-game suspension “for clearly receiving a yellow or red card on purpose”.

This is a punishment Ramos’ Real Madrid teammate Dani Carvajal received when his yellow card against Apoel Nicosia in the group stage of last year’s Champions League was deemed deliberate.

Is Ramos guilty?

'87: Asensio puts Real ahead '89: Sergio Ramos yellow, will miss second leg "That is very obvious that he was looking to get booked there." Master of the Dark Arts? ???? pic.twitter.com/X6bfp6lKsb — Football on BT Sport (@btsportfootball) February 13, 2019

Speaking to Spanish television after the game, Ramos appeared to admit he purposefully tried to get booked.

“Yes, the truth is that, seeing the result… It’s something I had in mind,” Ramos told El Chiringuito.

“It is not that I am underestimating the opponent but sometimes in football you have to make decisions and that’s what I decided. ”

However, the Real captain later took to social media to claim he did not “force the card”.

“In a match there are many tensions. We have to make decisions in seconds,” he wrote on Twitter.

“The best thing about today is the result. The worst, not being able to be with my teammates for the return leg.

“I want to make clear that that hurts me more than anyone. I did not force the card… and I will support from the stands as a fan with the dream of being in the quarters.”

Investigation launched

Uefa confirmed to i on Thursday afternoon that it had launched a disciplinary investigation into Ramos.

“A disciplinary investigation has been initiated based on Article 31(3) of the Uefa Disciplinary Regulations in connection with the statements made by Real Madrid player Sergio Ramos,” the governing body said in a statement.

“Information in respect of this investigation will be made available in due course.”