AFP, Basel :
Sergio Ramos missed two penalties as Spain needed a late equaliser from Gerard Moreno to draw 1-1 with Switzerland in the Nations League on Saturday but coach Luis Enrique backed his veteran star, saying: “If there had been a third penalty, he’d have taken that as well”.
Ramos was making his 177th appearance for Spain to become the most capped European player in history, pulling clear of Italy’s Gianluigi Buffon, who has 176.
But instead of a celebration in Basel, it was a night to forget for the defender, who saw one spot-kick saved by Swiss goalkeeper Yann Sommer but backed himself to score a second, only to miss again with a dreadful attempted ‘Panenka’.
“Sergio’s numbers for penalties are out of this world,” said Enrique.
“If there had been a third penalty, he would have taken that one as well.”
Ramos had previously scored 25 penalties in a row and his inaccuracy from the spot cost Spain, who will now have to beat Germany in Sevilla on Tuesday to reach the final four.
“We wanted to win here and the team tried until the end,” said Moreno. “It wasn’t to be but it’s still in our hands to get through, even if we have a difficult game.”
Enrique’s side have only scored three times in their last five matches and they struggled again to break through against a well-organised Switzerland, who led through Remo Freuler and also had Nico Elvedi sent off with 11 minutes left.
Sergio Ramos missed two penalties as Spain needed a late equaliser from Gerard Moreno to draw 1-1 with Switzerland in the Nations League on Saturday but coach Luis Enrique backed his veteran star, saying: “If there had been a third penalty, he’d have taken that as well”.
Ramos was making his 177th appearance for Spain to become the most capped European player in history, pulling clear of Italy’s Gianluigi Buffon, who has 176.
But instead of a celebration in Basel, it was a night to forget for the defender, who saw one spot-kick saved by Swiss goalkeeper Yann Sommer but backed himself to score a second, only to miss again with a dreadful attempted ‘Panenka’.
“Sergio’s numbers for penalties are out of this world,” said Enrique.
“If there had been a third penalty, he would have taken that one as well.”
Ramos had previously scored 25 penalties in a row and his inaccuracy from the spot cost Spain, who will now have to beat Germany in Sevilla on Tuesday to reach the final four.
“We wanted to win here and the team tried until the end,” said Moreno. “It wasn’t to be but it’s still in our hands to get through, even if we have a difficult game.”
Enrique’s side have only scored three times in their last five matches and they struggled again to break through against a well-organised Switzerland, who led through Remo Freuler and also had Nico Elvedi sent off with 11 minutes left.