Izuchukwu Okosi
Former Real Madrid defender, Sevilla’s Sergio Ramos, scored an own goal against his own side, Sevilla, to give his old rivals Barcelona victory in Friday night’s La Liga game.
Ramos, back in Spain with Sevilla after a two-year spell at Paris St-Germain, was playing a record 34th La Liga match against Barcelona.
Join our WhatsApp ChannelThe 37-year-old settled the game when he shinned Lamine Yamal’s header across goal and past his own keeper.
Barca deserved the win and Joao Felix smashed a shot off the underside of the crossbar in an open first half.
Barca lost Raphinha to a first-half hamstring injury in the one downside to a result which took them top of La Liga, above neighbours Girona.
Sevilla did not have any representatives in the VIP box in protest at the corruption case surrounding Barcelona.
Barcelona face charges over payments made to Jose Maria Enriquez Negreira, a former vice-president of the referees’ committee, in return for favourable refereeing decisions.
UEFA is also investigating the matter.
The Spanish Civil Guard searched the headquarters of the Spanish Technical Committee of Referees on Thursday.
A Sevilla statement read: “We express our complete outrage and condemnation of the actions carried out by the former officials of FC Barcelona who are indicted in the Negreira case, actions that are allegedly considered criminal by the Court of Instruction of Barcelona, as stated in the court order disseminated in the media.”
Barcelona – who deny any wrongdoing – issued a statement in reply, saying Sevilla’s actions were “an attack against the Catalan institution and an unacceptable offence.”
Izuchukwu Okosi is a Nigerian sports and entertainment journalist with two decades of experience in the media industry having begun his media journey in 2002 as an intern at Mundial Sports International (MSI) and Africa Independent Television (AIT), owners of Daar Communications Plc.
