Sergio Ramos picked up the 22nd red card of his career in Real Madrid’s defeat to Barcelona on Sunday.The Spaniard was shown his marching orders after a two-footed lunge on Barca’s eventual hero Lionel Messi in the 77th minute.Although Los Blancos went on to equalise minutes after, Ramos left a gaping hole in the defence that Barca exploited with the final kick of the game."For me, the red card was excessive," Ramos told Marca afterwards, per Sky Sports. "I admit that I was late after seeing it 40 times but I wasn't trying to injure anyone."Messi did well and jumped out of the way but I didn't touch him and it had a big impact on the game."

Video: Ramos's red card

Ramos was seen sarcastically applauding referee Alejandro Hernandez as he left the pitch, although he insists he was only aiming his fury towards Barcelona defender Gerard Pique.

“I did not applaud the referee when I walked off. I was talking to Pique, not to the referee,” Ramos said, via the Daily Mail.

“Referees can be right and sometimes they are wrong. This one was decisive. But I was chatting to Pique, not the referee.

“Pique always talks about referees. Maybe it is better to talk about the referee sometimes than to keep quiet, but I will not start any controversy.

“I have no problem with Pique, but he might not get a hug after a Clasico like this.”

Ramos gave the referee a signed shirt

Ramos actually had an interaction with Hernandez before El Clasico, according to Spanish newspaper La Vanguardia.

Barcelona fans will be bemused to hear that Ramos presented Hernandez with a signed Madrid shirt before Sunday’s game.

But Barca supports needn’t be suspicious. The newspaper claims that Hernandez was simply a middle man, and that Ramos simply asked him to hand the shirt to Juan Carlos Albuixech, the owner of a hotel in Lanzarote.

Ramos, knowing Hernandez is from the island, handed him the white jersey to give to Albuixech. The shirt will be framed and hung on the wall of the hotel.

So there’s no need to be suspicious about Ramos trying to get cosy with the referee.

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