Sergio Ramos’ penalty against Athletic Bilbao helped him reach another record which is unique and rare one for a defender.
Real Madrid took care of business against their Basque rivals Athletic Bilbao in a match that saw Los Blancos go seven points clear of FC Barcelona at the top of the table with a game in hand. Barca travel to Villarreal later tonight in what is a must-win clash for the Catalans.
For the second successive game, it was Ramos’ goal that saved Real Madrid’s blushes and has them on a run of seven successive victories since the resumption of the league.
Marcelo was fouled in the area and the Captain stepped up to take the penalty in the most typical Sergio Ramos fashion: a slow run-up with a few halts, slotting the ball with pace and nagging accuracy into the bottom corner.
The goal not only took Real Madrid a step closer to their first title in three years, but it also helped Ramos reach 10 La Liga goals, the first time he has done so in a single La Liga season. With that goal, he joined an elite list of defenders who have scored 10 or more goals during a single La Liga season.
That is now his 7th goal in his last 12 Real Madrid appearances and the 5th one since the restart, making him the highest goalscorer since La Liga resumed in June.
He has also converted each of his last 22 penalties, which just sums up that he is more than a central defender.
With the lack of goals upfront, Sergio Ramos has really taken up the mantle of being a captain and has transformed into a tremor-afflicting talisman for the team.
However, Los Blancos will miss his warrior-like presence when they face Alavés on Friday, as he received a yellow card and we will be suspended for the match. With Raphael Varane also questionable for the clash in the Spanish capital, Zinedine Zidane will have to juggle his lineup significantly.
Is Nacho Fernandez healthy enough to get a start? Will Casemiro have to play center back? There are plenty of questions that need to be answered this week during training.