Ramos to the Rescue

Real Madrid went on a new club record unbeaten run – thanks largely to their captain.

- Sid Lowe

It was the 92nd minute, and Deportivo La Coruna and Real Madrid were drawing 2-2 in the Santiago Bernabeu when, high in the north stand, a chant began. “And Sergio Ramos scores a goal!” it ran.

And those supporters were still singing it when Ramos did score a goal, leaping to head home the winner.

Everyone ran to the corner and piled on, Marcelo standing back, alongside the mound of bodies, looking to the stands and beating his chest as if he was Tarzan. Further up the touchline, Zinedine Zidane was smiling a huge, incredulous smile. He’d only gone and done it again.

A week earlier, Ramos had scored in the 90th minute to claim a draw in the Clasico against Barcelona. It had been a huge goal too, one that rescued the league leaders from a first defeat of the season and kept them six points clear, denying their rivals the chance to reduce the lead to just three points and blow the title race wide open.

Andres Iniesta called it “hard to take” as they had been so close. Leading 1-0 through Luis Suarez, both Neymar and Lionel Messi had clear chances to kill off the game, but it had gone into the last minute – Ramos time.

“We believed right to the end. I have to highlight this team’s heart yet again,” pointed out Zidane. He also said he was not surprised Ramos had appeared when they most needed it. “That’s what Ramos has,” Madrid’s manager added. “He is always there.”

It certainly feels that way; there’s something about Ramos, that’s for sure.