Ramos laments poor Turin display

Sergio Ramos vowed to find solutions after admitting he was below par in Real Madrid’s UEFA Champions League semi-final first leg defeat to Juventus.

The Spain international was deployed in an unfamiliar defensive midfield role as the European champions slipped to a 2-1 defeat in Turin on Tuesday.

It was a position where Ramos excelled in the quarter-final victory over rivals Atletico Madrid, but it was a difficult evening for the defender against Massimiliano Allegri’s side.

Ramos accepted he failed to reach his best standard, but is confident that he and Real will perform better in the return leg at the Santiago Bernabeu.

“It was a bad game in both senses collectively and individually. So we have to be self-critical and find conclusions,” Ramos said. 

“It was one of those days when things don’t go as you wanted. But, even with the bad result, we know we have another chance on Wednesday to comeback in the tie. And there is no better way to do it than at home, with our fans.

“At the end of the day we are just one goal behind. If at the beginning of the season someone would have told us ‘you are going to play to stay in the final for just one goal in your stadium’, most of the people would sign this deal.

“Obviously that doesn’t cancel our bad game, so now we have to focus on La Liga and then straight forward to start to think about this game.”

Ramos also insisted he remains willing to play whatever position he is asked to by head coach Carlo Ancelotti.

“I am here to help the team wherever Ancelotti thinks it is best,” he added. “We are players who try to do the things the manager wants. It has been a bad game overall.

“I am the most critical of myself. Honestly, I know it hasn’t been a good game individually, but it doesn’t scare me at all. I trust fully in myself and I trust our manager. So if I have to play again as midfielder, I will.”