"I would have taken Sergio Ramos"- Jose Enrique's Euro squad thoughts - 7M sport

"I would have taken Sergio Ramos"- Jose Enrique's Euro squad thoughts



Posted Friday, June 11, 2021 by 101 GREAT GOALS

Ramos axed reaction

With Euro 2020 due to kick off tomorrow, 101 sat down with ex-Liverpool defender Jose Enrique to talk all things Spain, including the shock exclusion of the country's captain.

Luis Enrique announced that he was taking a 24-man squad, rather than the 26 permitted to him by the tournament hosts. However, what was even more shocking was the decision to axe Real Madrid and La Roja captain Sergio Ramos from the squad entirely.

Now 35, Ramos has struggled with injuries this season, but fought back to make himself available for the national team this summer. However, his efforts proved to be in vain, as he was spurned by Luis Enrique.

Ex-Liverpool and Newcastle left-back Jose Enrique hints that it was an unpopular decision.

Enrique said:

"To be honest I would have taken Sergio Ramos because just his presence in the team with the younger players and everything like that would make a massive difference.

And I believe even when he is not 100%, he's a player with experience at the highest level. It's not just about quality at these kinds of tournaments, its about experience as well.

When you get far in the tournament, the pressure starts to hit. You have a country behind you, its not easy."

He continued:

"These kinds of players, they have experience, they've won everything they could as a player both in the national team and for their club so I would not have left him out.

I understand more [leaving out] Dani Carvajal because maybe he's not as important, even if I love Dani Carvajal. But leaving Sergio out, I'm not sure.

When we won everything, The World Cup and the two European cups, our team was Barcelona and Real Madrid players, that was our starting line up."    

"I understand some players that he took, centre-backs are in better form than him. Obviously you cannot doubt that because he's been injured for a while."

"But I know what it means to have a player like this in the team. At Liverpool it was Stevie G [Steven Gerrard] or Hendo [Jordan Henderson] now. It's this kind of player that, even if he's not playing but he's around the squad, you feel his presence and it definitely helps to have him on the team.

We have experienced players but we have young players as well on the team so I believe he should have taken him. Even if he's not going to play as much, I would have taken him, definitely."

With Ramos absent, Aymeric Laporte, Pau Torres, Diego Llorente and Eric Garcia are the only recognised centre-backs in Luis Enrique's 24-man-squad.



Attention: Third parties may advertise their products and/or services on our website.7M does not warrant the accuracy, adequacy or completeness of their contents.
Your dealings with such third parties are solely between you and such third parties and we shall not be liable in any way for any loss or damage of any sort incurred by you.