Has Real Madrid forgotten about Sergio Ramos?

Real Madrid CF has not had a particularly good week, and the contract situation of captain Sergio Ramos appears to have taken a back seat among all the other problems that the club is currently facing.

Los Blancos have now dropped points over two weekends in a row, following draws against Getafe last week and against Real Betis last night. This puts their La Liga Santander title hopes in jeopardy, as they are now in danger of drifting further away from leaders Atletico Madrid. FC Barcelona also has a chance to overtake them in the title race if the Catalans win two games in hand.

Several weeks ago, Real Madrid fans were all abuzz about the fact that Ramos has suffered yet another injury that has sidelined him for a large part of the crucial stages of the season. He has since also tested positive for Covid-19, possibly extending his absence. However, Zinedine Zidane has found a way to work around his absence, and Eder Militao has stepped up to the plate to fill the void.

Now, even though the injuries and absences in the club are mentioned especially when they have bad results, Ramos is no longer singled out as the most crucial piece of the puzzle.

Following the European Super League debacle that played out throughout the past week, Ramos and his contract renewal have again taken a back seat. Real Madrid fans are now less concerned about losing their captain compared to the possibility of being kicked out of the the UEFA Champions League this season or the next.

With these recent developments and his lengthy injury setbacks as of late, it appears as though Ramos is rapidly losing leverage that he can use to negotiate the terms of his contract. Without the ESL, the club will need to tighten its belt. Luka Modric has already agreed to a contract extension and a 10% pay cut. That's another blow for Ramos, who will have a harder time justifying any demands he might have on his proposed contract.