In soccer, fights are an unavoidable part of the sport. They can occur during any encounter, much less a major clash between two major European forces.
So while the brawl between the Paris Saint Germain and Juventus players at the Parc des Princes wasn’t a surprise in itself, it was the identity of its protagonists that caught the eye.
A week ago, Leandro Paredes and Sergio Ramos were still teammates in Paris. But on Tuesday night, there was no love lost between the two men who were ready to butt heads, and not just in a sporting sense.
The incident erupted after an ill-timed challenge from Gleison Bremer on Kylian Mbappe. The Argentine midfielder and the Spanish defender pushed each other.
Marco Verratti was one of the cold heads that separated them. The winner of Euro 2020 explains why he was not surprised to see Ramos and Paredes locked in a brawl.
“Why didn’t I participate in the fight? good leo [Paredes] and I are friends, but I would have bet on his anger with Sergio Ramos”, said the Italian in his post-match interview with Mediaset via IlBianconero.
“They even argued in training sessions all the time. They are two very competitive guys who care about winning.
“But then there’s the hug at the end of the game and that’s where it all ends.”
