Madrid back Ramos in Sevilla row

Real Madrid have publicly offered their “full and absolute support” to Sergio Ramos after Sevilla issued a formal complaint over the Spain captain’s behaviour during Thursday’s 3-3 Copa del Rey draw at the Ramon Sanchez Pizjuan.

Ramos converted an 83rd-minute penalty against his former club before Karim Benzema hit a last-gasp equaliser to conclude a 6-3 aggregate victory in the last-16 tie and extend Madrid’s unbeaten run to a Spanish record of 40 matches.

The Madrid skipper gestured towards the home fans, pointed at the name on his shirt and cupped his ears after a successful “Panenka ” spot kick and went on to criticise a section of the Sevilla fanbase “that has remembered my mother and insulted me from the first minute”.

The two sides meet again at the same stadium in LaLiga on Sunday and Sevilla preceded the meeting by making an official complaint to the Spanish Football League (LFP), requesting that Ramos be reported to the Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) Competition Committee and the state’s Anti-Violence Commission.

A statement released by Madrid on Saturday read: “Real Madrid wants to express their full and absolute support for our captain and the Spanish team captain, Sergio Ramos, whose behaviour is and has been exemplary throughout his career, which has led him to be a benchmark of values for all fans of football and sport in general.

“Real Madrid has been inflexible in applying with absolute firmness the zero tolerance against the violent ones, being forceful in the rejection of those who, with their conduct, seriously tarnish the image that must project football. 

“This sport should be a meeting point and a union, not a place for insults, throwing objects or any manifestation of violence.”

Madrid also added their voice to Sevilla’s call for their fans to cease abuse of Ramos in Sunday’s fixture.

Sevilla’s statement read: “Football is a show of passion, but violent or discriminatory attitudes of any kind do not fit, crucially because supporting a team does not mean not respecting opponents. In short, to support is not to insult, nor is to insult to support.

“The club remind their fans that they can show their support and make the stadium a boiler that gives wings to the team against Real Madrid without resorting to insults or offensive actions against their opponents.

“To do so would tarnish the traditional values of the club and this sport as a whole, which have done so much good for society. Tolerance and respect among fans are an inherent part of football, as is their support, without excluding one thing from the other.

“In this sense, Sevilla FC want to transmit their unwavering commitment against violence and compliance with the laws that regulate the obligations of sports clubs in preventing and eradicating violence, racism, xenophobia and intolerance from sport.”