Real Madrid's 2-0 win over Real Mallorca on Wednesday pushed the club on top of the La Liga standing, and manager Zinedine Zidane was naturally happy. The French boss felt the same way about Real captain Sergio Ramos, who scored his ninth goal of the season in the same match. Zidane said he wants to see the Spain skipper play the last of his games with the club.
The statement was made as questions arose on what happens next for the Real defender, who will be 35 when the season ends.
It appeared though that Ramos has nothing to worry about. The clash with Mallorca proved that he remains in top form. Not only that, he contributed to the win, but he again proved that he is the best defender in the game.
The free-kick that was registered during the winning game counted as goal No. 94 for Ramos in all competitions. The Real star is naturally shooting for 100, and there is little doubt that he will make it happen.
If Zidane is to be asked, Ramos has to keep impressing with his game as part of Los Blancos. The Spaniard will see his contract expire in 2021, and the club manager hinted there is room in the team reserved only for the player, who has been with Real 15 years and counting.
"Sergio belongs here as a player ... He's been here for years and he should retire here. It's what I think and I'll stand by it," Goal reported Zidane as saying.
Yet the promise made by the Frenchman will only become a reality with the concurrence of Real chief Florentino Perez. To be sure, the club executive will weigh in on giving Ramos an extension with serious consideration on the center-back's storied stay at Bernabeu.
For more than a decade, the defender earned due respect in 664 appearances that so far resulted in 22 club titles. Marca said the minimum expectation from Los Blancos is to offer the star at least another year of tenure at Real.
That assumption has factored in Ramos' age and the way Real dealt with similar situations in the past.
Unsurprisingly, Ramos is expecting a better deal from Perez. At the very least, the Spain captain is looking to stay more than a year in Madrid when his current deal expires. This possibility has won the endorsement from Zidane and it's good news for Ramos.
Real giving what is due to Ramos shouldn't be too hard, added the report from Marca. The defender, after all, continues to prove that he remains a go-to figure on the pitch and ready to make his mark on both ends of the field. Also, Perez has to take note of the fact, and with Zidane affirming it, that slowing down is not a problem at all with Ramos.
