Angel Di Maria, Keylor Navas, Leandro Paredes… The Parisian infirmary is full before the trip to Clermont this Saturday (9 p.m.), during the 31st day of Ligue 1. Abdou Diallo, Julian Draxler, Ander Herrera, Ismaël Gharbi and Layvin Kurzawa are also unavailable, Marco Verratti being among the ghosts.
That's not all: between "
muscular discomfort
" and the birth of his child, Mauricio Pochettino decided to leave Marquinhos to rest this Saturday.
The opportunity for Sergio Ramos to continue and play a second consecutive match?
“
He has a chance of starting, in particular because of the absence of Marquinhos
”, explains “Poche”.
To discover
Calendar and results Ligue 1
League 1 standings
In any case, the 36-year-old Spanish rock is good for service.
A rarity in a season in the form of an ordeal for him… and the Parisian club, which attracted him to the banks of the Seine for two seasons last summer.
A sine qua non for the former captain of Real Madrid.
“
The important thing was the two-year contract, in order to have continuity, peace of mind for me and my family.
It was a priority among the criteria
”, he said at the start of the season, after having “
bluffed
” some during the physical tests.
The rest, we know it...
A goal, a red and… whistles
Ramos has multiplied relapses and calf glitches, playing only six matches with PSG so far, including five in L1 (ASSE, Lorient x2, Brest, Reims), one in the Coupe de France (Entente Feignies-Aulnoye) and none in the Champions League, even if he made the trip during the elimination in Madrid in the round of 16, with a goal (Reims), a red (Lorient on the way) and… whistles (Lorient last Sunday ).
“
We are all affected, I think it's the frustration of the fans for the result (in C1), I don't think it's directed against him.
He is a great champion, he deserves respect like all Paris Saint-Germain players
“Said Pochettino last Sunday after Lorient.
In fact, yes, the whistles were well directed at Ramos, as Neymar and Leo Messi got them before him.
Silent also during this card against the Hakes, the Ultras thus showed their dissatisfaction with a transfer window that he considers more cut to sell shirts than to win matches and reign over European football … Sergio Ramos, a symbol.
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However, the world champion and double European champion had to do good in Paris, thanks to his qualities as a defender of course, his experience and his character.
God knows that PSG really needed captains, we wanted to see it in Madrid… With Sergio Ramos, Mauricio Pochettino might also have bet on the scheme with three defenders, who knows?
Still, the person concerned would have had to be on the ground.
Missed.
We will wait before drawing conclusions, the season is not over. But I'm not afraid to take responsibility for mistakes when I make them.
Leonardo on Sergio Ramos
It remains to be seen whether the Ramos experience is set to extend beyond the current season.
Between Real, the Spanish team and PSG, the Andalusian has only played 13 matches since the start of 2021. Not heavy… To wonder if he can still evolve at the highest level.
According to the latest echoes, Sergio Ramos does not envisage his future elsewhere than in Paris.
Leonardo left the door open to all options in a recent interview with
L'Équipe
:
We recruited him, he was physically good.
Unfortunately, what we imagined did not happen.
It's hard for him, for everyone.
But our reports are clear.
The day we say he can no longer play, it will be clear to everyone.
This is not the case.
Afterwards, not playing makes it difficult for him to be a leader.
We will wait before drawing conclusions, the season is not over.
But I'm not afraid to take responsibility for mistakes when I make them.
“Not to a blank check…
Read alsoPSG: Kylian Mbappé best player in the world?
It (really) looks a lot like it
Conclusion: Ramos would do well not to get injured again by the end of the season to make his leaders want to prolong the pleasure.
In any case, a two-month period without a stay in the infirmary couldn't hurt.
For the rest, it is quite obvious that he could represent an asset for Paris-SG next season if he regains all his resources and is in good health.
A big “if”, very big…
Holder in Clermont?
Came into play last Sunday, Ramos should start this Sunday, in Auvergne.
The opportunity to step up and simply rediscover the pleasure of the game. The rest is like cycling, you can't forget it.
“
I still want to win a lot and I want to help this team
,” he said at the start of the season.
And to add:
I feel really good physically, I can do very well for a few more years.
(…) I will try to help as much as I can.
I don't come here to show my achievements, to talk about the Champions League that I have won.
I'm starting from zero, with a new ambition, in line with what the club wants.
I always have this hunger to win.
Obviously, I have experience, acquired over the years.
In terms of motivation, ambition, the desire to win, if I manage to convey some of these aspects, it will be a great success.
So far, it's been a resounding failure.
But the story may not be over yet... It's up to Ramos to write it.