Messi looks down as Real Madrid players celebrate (background), after Real Madrid’s Sergio Ramos scored their side’s first goal
Sergio Ramos stepped up once more for Real Madrid in a major match, scoring in the 90th minute to secure a 1-1 draw at Barcelona’s Camp Nou Stadium on Saturday.
“[Ramos] always shows up for games like this one,” Real Madrid coach Zinedine Zidane said. “He never gives up. That is what Sergio brings.”
The Spain defender charged in to head Luka Modric’s free kick past goalkeeper Marc-Andre ter Stegen, who got a hand on the ball but couldn’t keep it out.
Luis Suarez’s header from a free kick by Neymar had given Barcelona the lead in the 53rd, but Barcelona squandered the opportunity to finish off its fierce rival.
The stalemate favored Zidane’s Madrid, which left Camp Nou with its six-point advantage atop the table intact with Barcelona second.
“Our effort paid off,” Ramos said. “We were able to maintain the difference. We can’t go crazy. There is still a long way to go, but we depend on ourselves.”
Madrid, which also extended its unbeaten streak to 33 consecutive matches, is searching for its first domestic league title since 2012.
In his 12 seasons at Madrid, the 30-year-old Ramos has a knack of striking late in big games, including his headed goal to force added time in the 2014 Champions League final, which Madrid went on to win against Atletico Madrid. He also scored an equalizer — after 90 minutes were up — against Sevilla in this season’s UEFA Super Cup, with Madrid again emerging the winner.
“What we have to highlight is the heart of this team. We believed until the end and got an important draw,” Zidane said.
Ramos’ goal on Saturday stunned Barcelona, which was on the cusp of reviving its title defense.
Instead, it has now drawn three rounds in a row and only won two of its last seven matches overall, a particularly poor run for a side boasting an attack of Lionel Messi, Neymar and Suarez.
“When you don’t score [for] 2-0, this is what happens,” Suarez said. “We have to stay strong and keep going […] we are still alive.”
Before kickoff, both teams observed a minute of silence for victims of the plane crash in Colombia which included players from the Brazilian team Chapecoense.
Agent publishes Ronaldo’s tax document in Spain
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The document’s release comes a day after European media outlets released what it claimed were details of apparent tax arrangements made by top soccer players and coaches, including Ronaldo, Jose Mourinho and Mesut Ozil.
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