OMNISPORT

Real Madrid captain Sergio Ramos and his team-mates support president Florentino Perez after insisting "we're just the pawns here, he is the king".

Ramos was responding to comments made by Perez last month, when he said embattled Madrid coach Rafael Benitez was "the solution, not the problem" with the Spanish capital club third in La Liga.

Speaking after Madrid's remarkable 10-2 rout of nine-man Rayo Vallecano on Sunday, Ramos told reporters: "If that's what the president says then he has his reasons.

"We're just the pawns here, he's the king."

Ramos added: "We all support the manager. He tries to bring his own ideas and we try to execute them, every player tries to do it in his own way.

"It doesn't always come off, but the least you have to do is give it your all and leave everything on the pitch."

Ramos was also quizzed about an incident involving Madrid team-mate Cristiano Ronaldo.

Ronaldo netted a brace in the win at Santiago Bernabeu, however he appeared to gesture towards the stands in an attempt to stop the fans whistling after the club initially trailed 2-1.

"Sometimes players are free to express their feelings. He always says what he thinks," Ramos said.

"When we needed support most from the fans we got whistles, sometimes you need a little love.

"People single you out when they think you're not giving your all. When they see you giving it all you have they don't get on your case.

"If you're losing to Rayo after 10 minutes in the Bernabeu, they get on top of you and try to get a reaction out of the players. Some people even say that we could have lost, but I have no doubt that we’d have got it back."