Should Ramos have joined Spain on International Duty?

Sergio Ramos managed to amass two more caps over the international break, brining him closer to the all time record. Those two caps came from a total of 50 minutes - signaling to most that Ramos was not fully fit after his knee operation. With a season defining week looming for Real Madrid, the question has been asked: did Ramos put his self-interest above the club?

The center back did not feature in Real Madrid’s away trip to Vigo prior to the international break. Some journalists in Spain have suggested the captain should have stayed in Madrid to fully recuperate from his injury ahead of the decisive clashes with Barcelona and Liverpool. On the flip side, one could argue that the accumulation of match rhythm with Spain will help him recover quicker.

Luis Enrique spoke to the press after the match and was asked about Ramos limited minutes and why he was included in the squad if he was not fit. “Ramos is good physically,” Enrique commented. “He just had an operation on the knee and has returned very quickly. I want to reward a player, that in my opinion, deserves to break every record.”

Speaking with Onda Cero, journalist Edu Pidal suggested that Real Madrid was not happy with Ramos playing the first game. “At Real Madrid they think it was hasty for Ramos to play the first game with the National team,” Edu Pidal explained.

If Ramos is able to return at a high level ahead of Real Madrid’s pivotal week, then the “polemica” will be quickly forgotten. If Ramos is unable to play, the captain may be scapegoated as the source to a potential Real Madrid Champions League exit once again.