Pandiani calls for Ramos return to be Madrid's missing leader – and Sergio's keen
Former La Liga striker Walter Pandiani believes Real Madrid lacks leadership and suggests bringing back Sergio Ramos to the Bernabéu, a move the defender seems to fancy.
Former Uruguayan striker Walter Pandiani reckons Real Madrid are missing a proper leader in the dressing room – and believes club legend Sergio Ramos could be the answer to their problems.
Madrid’s leadership vacuum
Pandiani, who had stints at several Spanish clubs including Deportivo La Coruña and Espanyol, shared his thoughts with Josep Pedrerol on ‘El Cafelito’ about the current state of Los Blancos’ leadership structure.
The 49-year-old didn’t mince his words when assessing the situation: “Real Madrid always needs a leader and they don’t have one.”
While acknowledging Fede Valverde’s qualities as a player and captain, Pandiani suggested his compatriot might still be too young and inexperienced to shoulder the responsibility of leading the most successful club in European football.
“He’s a great player, a great teammate, but perhaps he needs a bit of help from other types of players,” Pandiani explained, hinting that being Real Madrid’s leader requires something special beyond footballing ability.
The Ramos solution
Pandiani’s proposed fix? Bring back Sergio Ramos, even in a reduced playing role:
- Return the veteran defender to serve as a dressing room leader
- Utilize his experience for the day-to-day atmosphere
- Help reinforce Arbeloa’s coaching proposals from within
“If I were the coach, I would have brought back Sergio Ramos even if he played less,” Pandiani stated, emphasizing the importance of having someone who could defend the coaching staff’s vision among the players.
Ramos seems interested
Interestingly, the suggestion appears to have caught Ramos’ attention. The defender, currently without a club after leaving Sevilla, liked Pandiani’s comments on social media.
In what might be more than coincidence, Ramos followed this by posting a video featuring Real Madrid’s anthem on his Instagram stories just hours later.
While it might seem a long shot given his age and recent injury history, stranger things have happened in the beautiful game. Could we see the return of El Capitán to the Bernabéu? The ball’s in Florentino’s court now.