The spirit of Sergio Ramos

Real Madrid won another trophy by defeating Sevilla 3-2 to win the UEFA Super Cup, Once again Sergio Ramos headed in a 93^rd minute equalizer to save Real and drag the game into extra-time. He adds another chapter to his incredible legacy at the club. In his 12^th season he has won 12 trophies, 3 La Liga titles, 2 Copa Del Rey’s, 2 Spanish Super Cups, 2 Champions Leagues, 2 UEFA Super Cups, and 1 Club World Cup. Yet many argue he’s overrated, that he costs Real Madrid games with his lack of concentration, discipline, and his fiery nature. He certainly does make mistakes and it is arguable that he isn’t the most consistent defender on the team. Pepe despite his controversies is a more consistent defender and has been Real’s defensive lynchpin for the last nine years. Ramos does get sent off A LOT, 20 times in fact since 2005. (Which is a club record.) He does make silly mistakes, like the reckless penalty he gave up against Sevilla. Did he need to be so reckless and stick out a leg in that situation? No and as a very experienced defender he should know better. But that is why so many Real fans love him, because of his recklessness, his passion, his spirit.

Since Juanito left Real in 1987, the club has searched for someone to take on that legacy of a fighter. Juanito was THE symbol of the “remontada” or the comeback in the 1970’s and 1980’s. Real’s epic comebacks in that era were stuff of legends. They came back from 2-0 to defeat Celtic 3-0 in the 1979-80 European Cup. They overturned a 3-0 deficit against Anderlecht to win 6-1 in the 1984-85 edition of the UEFA Cup. In that same year, Real won 3-0 at home to comeback from a 2-0 first leg defeat to Inter Milan. The most spectacular fightback occurred in the 1985-1986 UEFA Cup. Real got hammered 5-1 by Borussia Monchengladbach. However they won the return leg at home 4-0 to advance. That Real side overturned another deficit in a semi-final against Inter Milan en route to another UEFA Cup title. The common thread behind these astonishing fightbacks was Juanito. He scored the winning goal against Celtic in the Bernabeu, He was a massive part of all those fightbacks in the UEFA Cup with his spirit, assists, goals and leadership. After Inter’s 2-0 win in 1985, Juanito quipped that “90 minutes in the Bernabeu is a very long time” a statement that has become a part of the club’s lore. Real were a great team in that era because of these fightbacks, and their spirit. That “Quinta Del Buitre” side was known for its never-say-die attitude, and Juanito symbolized it. When he left in 1987, that team with its talent went on to win 3 league titles but they never conquered another European title, and their ability to fightback slowly went away. That quinta team despite having Hugo Sanchez, and Emilio Butrageno missed Juanito’s fight and leadership. The spirit of Juanito never fully came back after his departure.

The next great Real side had wonderful players like Redondo, Zidane, Figo, Morientes, Hierro but none were quite like Juanito. The closest was Raul. Raul was a fighter but he was THE star of Real’s golden era from 1998-2003 where they conquered Europe 3 times in that 5 year span. Real were a super-team and fightbacks were not really seen. In the three European triumphs, Real only needed to overturn a first-leg deficit one time, and never trailed in a final. Raul was a symbol of dominance through work-rate, but not the comeback artists. Time passed and as Sergio Ramos signed in 2005, not many suspected that he would possess those characteristics of Juanito. Ramos was very young, raw, and needed time to develop. However in his first few years he was a part of some epic moments. The 2006-07 league title was a wonderful example, Real trailed Barca by 6 points midway through the season. Through some epic comebacks against Espanyol, Zaragosa, and Mallorca Real went on to win the league. The next year Real went on to win the league with ease. Over the next few years Ramos became an established part of a very good Real side that was overshadowed by Barcelona’s dominance. He played important roles in the next 4 titles Real won, scoring a clutch header against Valencia to help 9-men Real beat Valencia 4-2 to win the 2008 Super Cup. He was excellent in the 2011 Copa Del Rey final as he helped Real win their first domestic cup in 18 years. The next year as Mourinho played him at CB, he was a vital part of the record title-winning team of 2011-2012. His ability to play the ball out of the back was integral in helping Real beat Barca by 9 points to win the league. Another Supercup followed in 2012, but three straight Champions League semi-final exists cost Mourinho his job. At the point Ramos was known for his erratic behavior, his loveable and goofy personality, missing a penalty against Bayern in the CL Semi-finals, and of course dropping the Copa Del Rey trophy off the bus in 2011. He was loved by Real fans, but not yet revered. Cristiano Ronaldo the star-man, the face of the team was the clutch player at that time. He scored the winner in the Copa Del Rey final, and the Spanish Supercup. He scored the goal at the Camp Nou that clinched La Liga and silenced the Camp Nou with his “Calms” celebration. But 2014 changed everything.

In the Champions League Semi-final against Bayern, Real won 1-0 in the first leg. Heading into the second-leg Real were underdogs, after all Bayern destroyed Barca 4-0 at the Allianz Arena only one year prior. However with Sergio Ramos scoring two incredible headers, Real routed Bayern 4-0 to make their first European final in 12 years. He had atoned for his infamous penalty-miss against Bayern in some style by dragging Real to a final. In the final against Atletico, Casillas made an error that allowed Diego Godin to score. Atletico defended well and after 90 minutes it looked like it would be Atleti’s night. Until the man who had dropped the Copa Del Rey, missed a crucial penalty, was the running joke of other fanbases stepped up. He headed in a perfect cross from Luka Modric to level the score in the 93^rd minute to save Real. In extra-time Bale, Marcelo, and Ronaldo scored and Real won 4-1 to win the fabled “Decima”. Ramos the oft-maligned man scored THE goal of his life, the goal that saved Real and helped them re-conquer Europe. One of the most 5 most important goals in the club’s history belonged to Sergio Ramos. And he didn’t stop there. In Morocco he was magnificent, scoring the winner against Cruz Azul in the semi-final and the winner against San Lorenzo in the final. He won the player of the tournament and helped Real their 4^th world title. In 2016 he didn’t have the best of seasons, he was often inconsistent and error-prone. He was sent off twice in the league against Las Palmas, and Barcelona. He was also at fault for three of the four goals put past Real in the Bernabeu in a humiliating 4-0 defeat. Yet when Real managed to get to the Champions League final, he was once again decisive. He scored again from a well-worked Toni Kroos free-kick that he diverted home after Gareth Bale’s flick on. He was Real;s best defender that night, repelling wave of Atletico attacks away. The game finished 1-1 and went to penalties. He scored his penalty cooly, his counterpart Juanfran missed and Real won the shootout 5-3. He was named Man of the Match and was massive part of Real’s incredible feat of winning 2 Champions Leagues in 3 seasons. He more than any other Real player delivered in the finals, with his spirit, will, and never-say-die attitude. This attitude allowed Real to fight back against Atletico, his header was in 92:48 in 2014, and the same spirit allowed Real to win the Super Cup 2 years later. This time Ramos delivered a little quicker, 92:34. But this fight spread to other Real players as they began to score late goals. Bale scored in the 85^th minute to help Real defeat Barca 2-1 to win the Copa Del Rey. Chicharito scored in the 87^th minute to knockout Atletico in the Champions League in 2015. Ronaldo scored in the 88^th minute to help Real defeat Barca 2-1 in the Camp Nou in 2016. Ronaldo then summoned the spirit of Juanito and Ramos, and dragged Real past Wolfsburg by scoring a hat-trick in Real’s remonatada against Wolfsburg in the CL quarterfinals. (Which was the first European comeback in 14 years and the first time they overcame a 2 goal deficit in Europe in 29 years 1986-87 against Spartak Moscow) Ramos through his never-say-die spirit of has infected this Real Madrid team, Watching this team they don’t know when to quit, no games is safe. So when Sevilla held a late 2-1 lead in the Super Cup there was no panic, Real had been here before. Once again their leader delivered, after a great cross by Lucas Vasquez, Ramos headed the ball into an empty net and saved Real again! Again and again, this was his 4^th goal in a major final out of 8 he’s played in! Which is better than many top strikers, he’s the definition of a big-game player. When Carvajal completed the win with a stunning solo goal in the 119^th minute, I thought this is the spirit of Ramos. This is the mentality of this team, to never quit and to win. Since he became captain he delivered in two of the biggest games, two goals, and two trophies. He’s not perfect, he does dumb stuff, makes basic mistakes, and still acts like a goof sometimes. But Ramos is the leader of this strange Real team, which doesn’t always convince yet ends up winning. That needs to fight, scratch, and claw to triumph. That gets in trouble in 2 European finals and needs someone to bail them out, that goes 2-0 to Wolfsburg, that doesn’t show up all the time in the league, yet wins trophies consistently. This is Real’s 6th trophy since April 2014, they haven’t had a run like this since 2001-2003 when they won 8 trophies in 2 plus years. This has been a successful era in Real’s history and this team is symbolized most by Ramos. The team’s captain, leader, emotional inspiration, he is the one who never gives up. He is what Juanito was to the great 1980’s team, a fighter, a leader, a passionate and emotional heartbeat. Yes he can cross the line, he can make stupid errors but everything else makes up for it. Without Sergio Ramos Real Madrid wouldn’t have 11 Champions Leagues in their museum, they wouldn’t be anywhere near as successful. Ronaldo can be the goal-machine and star, Modric and Kroos the brains, and Casemiro the legs, but someone needs to be the heart. The heart that pumps blood through to make the other parts work, the one that needs to beat constantly or the team will die with it. Ramos is the heart, the soul, the spirit of the football club. His legend is more than clutch goals, and big-game performances he is a link to the club’s past. To a modern-day version of those Quinta teams, the team that never gave up, the team with the spirit of Juanito. Now the club has a new spirit, the star might be Ronaldo but the club’s soul is Sergio Ramos.

Pragmatism won over style in 2016

2016 was the year of the pragmatist, the ultimate victory for tactics, discipline and defensive stability. The examples of Leicester City, Real Madrid, and Portugal showed that more defensive football can be adapted in this era often defined by Barca, Bayern, and Dortmund.

Leicester City who were 5,000 to 1 odds to win the league before the season, won the league using a basic style of play. A 4-4-2 formation with a solid pair of center-backs (Huth and Morgan), a steady goalkeeper (Schmeichel), an engine in midfield (Kante), a wizard of a winger (Marhez), and an elite striker (Vardy).This team who mostly used their core of 14-15 players had a very simple strategy, play defensively solid and hit on the counter-attack. They ceded possession to the opponents in the hopes of hitting lethal counter-attacks. Raineri with his resting of his players in lighter training sessions kept them fresh so they would be able to run every match-day. His training methods while unorthdox allowed Leicester to run and run without tiring themselves. Which explains why they rarely conceded in the second-half and scored vital late goals. The late goals against West Ham, Sunderland, Norwich late in the season were a testament to this strategy. A game against relegated Newcastle summed up their plan. An early goal by Okazaki, sat back and defended and won 1-0 while having less than 35 percent of the ball at HOME! As a result of this strategy Leicester were able to amass an awesome defensive record 36 goals allowed which is the third-best in the league. (And that record is more outstanding when you realize how long it took them to keep their 1^st clean sheet,) Even with their more defensive game plan they still scored 68 goals, which is the 3^rd most in the league which is more than the “flair” side of Arsenal. By using a limited group of players, they had the best cohesion of any team in the league, so that’s why they finished 10 points above 2^nd place Arsenal. Their lack of depth was never exposed because of some luck, with key stars Kante, Marhez, Vardy, staying mostly healthy. But despite their luck they were clearly over a 38-game season the best team in a league in which they were considered cannon-fodder a year earlier. They were 15^th place in 2015, and to improve 14 places because of a commitment to defending and attacking as a unit is staggering. Pragmatism not only made a modest side like Leicester survive, they thrived beautifully to win the most unique league title in English football. Their style of play while not universally admired took advantage of the skill sets of some cast-away players like Albrighton, Fuchs, Huth, Simpson, Drinkwater and created a team that adapted to them. Rather than a complex formation, Ranieri made the 4-4-2 to get a simple yet effective balance to his group of players. So they could win 3-2 early in the season, and grind out 1-0 late in the season. Leicester was the champion of outworking and outsmarting their opponents. Unlike Pep, Ranieri’s greatest success lies in the simplicity of his tactics, and using the same players in the team. His genius lies in the relative consistency of his lineup and the fact that he didn’t want to change a winning formula. It may have been a miracle for them to win the league, but it was no accident. This was a triumph of pragmatism, the goal of 40 points early in the season allowed them to play this way. With no pressure to entertain and play above their skill level, Ranieri decided to build a team of fighters to gain points through this “ugly” style. Taking of advantage of every big club having sub-par to horrible season, Leicester won the league at a canter. They may not be able to ever replicate their magical 2016 form but by winning the richest league in the world it provided a blueprint for how to take advantage of limited resources to win. This triumph leveled the playing field which is one of the greatest virtues of being more pragmatic. It allows a team like Leicester to win titles, then it can’t really be a bad thing!

The next example is Real Madrid which is a light year away from Leicester in so many ways. Real at the beginning of 2016 was a club deep in crisis. Humiliated by their rivals Barca 4-0 at home, ousted of the Copa due to an ineligible player, and mired in 3^rd in La Liga. Things were looking like they were going to spiral out of control, with player and fan dissent over Rafa Benitez and his style of football. He was fired after a draw away to Valencia and then Zidane was hired to take over the club. Zidane continued to persist with the same lineup that Rafa did until a terrible 1-0 home loss to Atletico Madrid in which the team looked out of sorts. After the game Zidane gave Casemiro a chance in the midfield, and he impressed the manager so much that he replaced James in the line-up. This key tactical switch, getting rid of a creative number 10 for a defensive midfield restored balance to what was a completely lost Madrid side. This move allowed Kroos and Modric to control the midfield by keeping possession and creating chances for the forwards. In addition to not requiring Kroos and Modric to defend to cover up spaces James left behind. Bale, Benzema, and Ronaldo were then able to get more service from the midfield while not sacrificing the balance of the team. Zidane demanded defensive commitment from the front 3, so they could cover for the midfield. This allowed Real to become a real team, not just a bunch of stars. Crucially he also worked a lot on set-pieces because of the height of the Real players they could score a lot from them. In fact the output from set-pieces improved considerably after Zidane’s arrival. After these changes Real went on to win 12 straight league games, including beating Barca at the Camp Nou to nearly snatch away the league title. In the Champions League, with Casemiro mostly in the lineup, Real vanquished Roma, Wolfsburg, and Manchester City to reach the final. His tactics were primarily one of a restrained and reactive nature. After Ronaldo and Benzema’s injuries in the Manchester City tie, he set out his side to play for a result rather trying to win the game. The resulting 0-0 draw set up a narrow 1-0 win at home to advance to the final. While it was one of the most forgettable two games I can recall, his tactics worked. In the final Zidane set up an incredibly smart strategy, knowing that Atletico are better on the counter he would give them possession so that they aren’t as dangerous. In the 1^st half Real Madrid started brightly scoring from a well-worked Toni Kroos free-kick that Bale headed into an onrushing Ramos to divert home. (Even if that goal was slightly offside…) Real dominated the 1^st half, but Zidane’s strategy unlike other Madrid managers was to sit back and counter. If Ronaldo, Bale, Benzema didn’t miss their chances on the break it would have worked perfectly. Carrasco equalized for Atletico and the game went to penalties in which Real won 5-3 after Juanfran missed the crucial penalty for Atleti. But this Champions League win couldn’t have been done without changing the team to become more defensive. What Rafa couldn’t implement because of his abrasive style, Zidane was able to because he connected with the players. There was no real stylistic difference between Rafa’s Real and Zidane’s Real from an aesthetic point of view. The difference was that one team was 100 percent committed to being pragmatic, the other wasn’t. Rafa did like Zidane use Casemiro in his lineup, Vasquez was also valued by both managers. Benitez made crucial mistakes in the Clasico, starting a half-fit Ramos at CB, starting James over Casemiro, and Danilo over Carvajal. These changes were the reasons for the debacle, and Rafa for all his good intentions didn’t put out the best line-up when it mattered. The 4-3-3 without a pure dm is almost impossible to pull off. Barca have Busquets, Real had Alonso under Ancelotti. Real used Kroos who isn’t a pure dm which caused chaos in the midfield. It is no coincidence that Iniesta had a brilliant match picking up the ball in those pockets of space. Casemiro with his defensive abilities and his tactical discipline was crucial to Real’s revival. He was Real’s best player during the Champions League final, making key tackles and keeping the ball smartly. Rafa’s mistake of not trusting Casemiro when it mattered cost him his job, Zidane using him when it mattered won him a Champions League. Yet Zidane oddly enough went against Real Madrid traditions of attacking football. It was a bold move because if it faltered he would have been the scapegoat for playing a more defensive style. Without his tactical bravery Real would have not have won this unlikely Champions League.

Portugal began the Euro 2016 qualifying loss in disarray. After losing at home to lowly Albania and coming off a disastrous 2014 World Cup things were looking grim for the squad. Paulo Bento was fired due to the poor results and the team was reeling. They needed someone to steer them through the tough times. Enter Fernando Santos the man who led Greece to the last 8 of Euro 2012, and the last 16 of the 2014 World Cup. He reintroduced Ricardo Carvalho back to the squad and infused the squad with young players. Joao Mario, Danilo, William Carvalho, Raphael Guerreiro, and helped the squad qualify for the Euros. Being more defensively solid, playing a 4-4-2 or 4-5-1 with Cristiano Ronaldo as the main striker and Nani working off him, he balanced the squad. The team won the remainder of their games by 1 goal margins, including vital wins over Denmark and Albania to top the group. The worries about Cristiano Ronaldo suffering a dip in form under a more defensive formation were to put to rest, as he scored 5 goals in 7 matches. These goals included vital winners against Denmark and Armenia which helped Portugal earn of 9 of their 21 points. Fernando Santos’s greatest contribution to the team was their defensive shape, they only allowed 4 goals in 7 games in qualifying after he took over. Before the Euros began Portugal were unfancied, many saying that their hopes rested on Ronaldo having a transcendent tournament for Portugal to win. Many critics derided the team as too old, or not talented, or too young to win. But the crucial player which not many talked about that came through in 2016 was Renato Sanches. A true gem of a player, an excellent box to box midfielder and versatile player he was the last piece they needed to do well. Though they were in a relatively easy group, Portugal drew all 3 of the matches. 1-1 against Iceland with Nani scoring then Vierinha making a defensive error that cost them 2 points. Then the 0-0 draw against Austria where Ronaldo missed 7-8 great chances and a penalty! Finally they squeaked by as one of the best third placed teams after a wild 3-3 draw with Hungary where Ronaldo bailed them out with 2 goals and an assist. Santos then had difficult decisions to make against Croatia, as the defense looked sloppy allowing 3 goals to Hungary. Rather than stick by his previous team that got him through qualifying he changed the lineup. He dropped Joao Moutinho his playmaker for Adrien Silva to help contain the midfield. Knowing that the key to the game was disrupting the rhythm of Luka Modric, he put Adrien with Carvalho to help destroy the creativity of the superior Croatian midfield. He also put in the much younger and quicker Jose Fonte at CB for Ricardo Carvalho and replaced the error-prone Vierinha for a more stable right-back in Cedric. The team played superb defensive football, stifling an extremely creative Ctoatia. In one of the few counter-attacks Portugal had, substitute Ricardo Quaresma headed home the winner after Ronaldo’s shot was saved by the goalkeeper. Portugal won 1-0 in one of the ugliest games in a major tournament but they also defeated a tremendous Croatia side. Against Poland, Santos made another brave call dropping Andre Gomes for the young but talented Renato Sanches. He instantly repaid the manager’s faith in him with a stunning equalizer after Poland had taken the lead. The match finished in a 1-1 draw and the game went to penalties. Sanches scored his penalty and Portugal won the shootout 5-3 to advance to the semi-final. (Two of his subs Moutinho and Quaresma scored penalties as well.) In the semi-final against Wales, Ronaldo inspired Portugal to a 2-0 win with a goal and an assist. But Fernando Santos’s finest moment was yet to come. Playing against the favored host nation France in the final, not many expected Portugal to triumph. Things got even worse when Portugal’s best player Cristiano Ronaldo had to limp off due to injury less than 30 minutes into the game. Yet instead of panicking Portugal settled into the game, defending well and counter-attacking occasionally. France wasted many great chances, Giroud, Sissoko, Griezmann forcing Rui Patricio to make some excellent saves. But all the greats need a bit of luck and when Gignac hit the post in the 92^nd minute you just felt they would pull it off. Santos didn’t settle for a draw though. His three subs Quaresma for the injured Ronaldo, Joao Moutinho for Adrien Silva, and Eder for Renato Sanches proved that he wanted to win the game. He kept the same 4-4-2 he did throughout the tournament and sent on a creative midfielder and a pure No. 9 to go and try to win the game. In extra-time a visibly exhausted France were being run-ragged by Portugal. Eder had a great header saved by Lloris, Guerreiro hit the post with a free-kick. The breakthrough finally came when Joao Moutinho found Eder and he shrugged off two French defenders and fired a low shot past Lloris. 1-0 to Portugal and they won the Euros for the first time. WITH EDER SCORING THE WINNER. A player that failed at Swansea and had until the final never scored in a competitive game for Portugal. The bravery Santos had to use him was incredible as anyone who watched Portugal knows that Eder can be ineffective a lot of the time. Eder is the symbol of this Portugal win under Santos, as he was the unlikely hero. This team wasn’t reliant on Ronaldo, other players stepped unlike previous Portugal teams. Under Bento they were too reliant on Ronaldo. When he played well, the team did well (Euro 2012 semis), when he didn’t the results were bad (2014 World Cup group stage). Although Ronaldo played well as he had 3 goals and 3 assists  which won him the silver boot.  They weren’t reliant on him to win the tournament. Nani scored 3 goals, Quaresma had an impact off the bench, William Carvalho was a rock in midfield, Pepe was a beast in defense and for me was the best player in the tournament. Rui Patricio made match-winning saves against Poland, and France to help win the Euros. This was a great team effort that Ronaldo just supplemented. He helped them win the Euros but didn’t need to carry them. Santos wanted to makes these less-talented individuals into the best Portugal team ever and he succeeded. This less-talented team was able to do what the squads of 1966, 1984, 2000, 2004, 2006, and 2012 were unable to do. They won ugly as it might have been. (And it was really ugly at times) However by winning the Euros this team eclipsed the Eusebio, Futre, and the golden generation teams that played more attacking football.  Portugal won the Euros by well…winning a war of attrition. They outlasted their opponents, they did the smartest strategy in the tournament. Which was to play not to lose in some games and go for the win in others. This team won because it knew its limits and its strengths. In the year of pragmatic football this team was its champion. Portugal so often the nearly-men of international football has its tournament. The ugly duckling as Sfgantos described this team is no longer that. It is a champion.

Barca and Bayern did win domestic doubles, and Germany is still the World Champion, but these more offensive teams did lose to more resolute opposition. Atletico’s triumphs over both Barca and Bayern is an example of how pragmatism can overcome style. France found out as well, losing a frustrating match to Portugal after their display elminating Germany in the semi-finals. The story of Leicester has been written off as a miracle, when it wasn’t as much as one thinks. It was a total commitment to a basic style of play that worked out far better than anyone expected. As for Real Madrid their “Undecima” will labeled in the future as a model of offensive football and it will be kind of inaccurate. Real only allowed 6 goals in the Champions League which is a record low. They certainly weren’t proactive in the semi-final or final as much as the fans and the club make it out. Instead they used their guile, intelligence, and counter-attacking instincts to salvage what seemed to be a lost season. Portugal who had been an entertaining but missed out on winning many tournaments by the minimal of margins did the opposite of their historical norm. They adopted a defensive approach and replicated Greece in 2004. They defended well, were annoying to pundits, and beat the host nation in the final 1-0. In a bit of irony they won a tournament using the same style of the team that denied them 12 years prior. Pragmatism works, it can win and for these 3 teams the reward was immense.

 

 

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