Sergio Ramos aiming to return for Champions League second leg
Real Madrid center back Sergio Ramos has not featured for Los Blancos since a 0-0 draw in Pamplona on Jan. 10 to Osasuna. The captain has been missed at the heart of Real’s defense, though fellow veteran defender Nacho Fernandez has stepped up so much that Los Blancos continue to rack up the clean sheets.
With the Champions League heating up, Madridistas are hoping to have Ramos back soon. He has missed more than a month with a knee injury that required surgery.
According to a report from MARCA’s Pablo Polo, Sergio Ramos aims to return to the pitch for Real Madrid in March for the second leg of the Champions League Round of 16 against Atalanta.
That would be great news for Madridistas and a real boost for Los Blancos, noting how important Ramos has been in the Champions League over the past years. Real Madrid currently hold a 1-0 lead in the tie over Atalanta after Ferland Mendy’s wondergoal in the final minutes of the first leg at the Gewiss Stadium.
Sergio Ramos would give Real Madrid a Champions League boost vs. Atalanta
Ramos is ruled out of Monday’s match against Real Sociedad in La Liga, and he is still expected to miss next weekend’s must-win match at the Wanda Metropolitano against derby rivals Atletico Madrid. And before Los Blancos face Atalanta on Mar. 16, they will have a home game against Elche on Saturday, Mar. 13 after drawing the lower-table La Liga side 1-1 earlier this season.
Nacho and Raphael Varane have been excellent at the heart of Real’s defense, with Thibaut Courtois currently on four straight clean sheets. But there’s no replacing Ramos, who impacts the game in so many ways as a defender, passer, and, yes, goal-scorer. Hopefully, his recovery from this knee issue continues to go well, and Madridistas can see the iconic No. 4 back on the pitch by the time the Champions League returns.
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And who knows? Based on the optimistic reporting from MARCA, perhaps Ramos will even have a new contract by then, finally putting the minds of Madridistas at ease.