After returning to his childhood club Sevilla, former Real Madrid captain Sergio Ramos will make his Bernabeu debut after leaving the team almost 20 years ago.
In the summer of 2021, Sergio Ramos moved to PSG, however he was unable to play in both legs of a potential Champions League reunion with his former employers due to a calf injury. That time, Karim Benzema’s hat-trick in the second leg helped Madrid win, but Ramos was left feeling lethargic and powerless to influence the match.
Ramos had only faced Los Blancos twice before this season, both at home and away in the 2004–05 campaign, during his first campaign at Sevilla. At the age of 37, he played them in an October 1-1 tie in which he gave a good account of himself; however, that was in Seville, and a trip back to his former haunts is a whole other story.
Regarding his choice to return to Sevilla, Ramos stated, “That unfinished business I have with the fans, with my family, with Puerta, with Reyes.” “I gave precedence to this highly sentimental and intensely emotional matter over any other worthwhile proposal we had.”
Antonio Puerta and Jose Antonio Reyes, two Sevilla players who unfortunately died at an early age, are the names he mentions. Puerta passed away at the age of 22 following a cardiac attack during a match against Getafe, while Reyes, who had previously played for Real Madrid and Arsenal, passed away at the age of 35 following an automobile accident.
Ramos continued, thinking back on his welcome home, “I experienced it in an incredible way; it was like taking a huge weight off my shoulders from many years of wanting to feel loved at home, loved by the fans.” “The truth is that it was a very emotional moment.”
Although Sevilla has been playing well lately, they have had a challenging season overall. After Jose Luis Mendilibar and Diego Alonso were fired, they have had three managers this season, including current one Quique Sanchez Flores. Despite this, they have gone four games without a loss in the league, which has kept them out of the relegation zone.
Since his return, Ramos has only scored once in the league: during Sanchez Flores’ first game in command in December, a 3-0 victory at Granada. Although he would be happy to score another goal at his old club, don’t expect him to celebrate.
Looking forward to going back to the Bernabeu, he added, “It will make me feel like I am at home.” “In the end, I spent a significant amount of time there during my career’s pivotal years. I also have amazing recollections of my teammates, the crowd, and everyone else. It will probably be a very special and emotional occasion for me as well.
“I have a great deal of respect for all of the Madrid supporters. While I wouldn’t celebrate, I would be happy if I were to score and it proved to be enough to win; those three points would be very helpful to us.”
