UEFA, the Union of European Football Associations, was studying the match referee’s report on Wednesday before deciding whether to charge Real Madrid players Xabi Alonso and Sergio Ramos for appearing to get intentional red cards in a Champions League match against Ajax.
Alonso and Ramos both collected second cautions for timewasting late in Real’s 4-0 win at the Amsterdam Arena on Tuesday.
Neither player protested the red cards and Ramos even shook hands with Scottish referee Craig Thomson before walking off the pitch. “We didn’t go looking for the cards,” Ramos said. “Seeing what the score was, the referee could have saved them. But he sent me off and that’s that.”
They will serve one-match suspensions in a meaningless final group match against Auxerre next month, then could start the knockout rounds in February with a clean disciplinary slate. Madrid is assured of winning Group G and advancing with second-place AC Milan.
UEFA said its disciplinary unit will look at the incidents after receiving Thomson’s official report.
Dutch broadcaster NOS showed footage of Madrid coach Jose Mourinho speaking to Alonso on the sideline before he picked up his second yellow. Mourinho also spoke on the bench with reserve goalkeeper Jerzy Dudek who seemed to then pass on a message to ‘keeper Iker Casillas, before Ramos was sent off.
{{/usCountry}}Dutch broadcaster NOS showed footage of Madrid coach Jose Mourinho speaking to Alonso on the sideline before he picked up his second yellow. Mourinho also spoke on the bench with reserve goalkeeper Jerzy Dudek who seemed to then pass on a message to ‘keeper Iker Casillas, before Ramos was sent off.
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