After yesterday's press conference by Gerard Piqué on the Catalan situation, this Thursday it was the turn of Spanish national team captain Sergio Ramos to speak on the political conflict between Spain and Catalonia. The Real Madrid centre-back, in a press conference alongside teammate David Silva and Spanish manager Julen Lopetegui, spoke strongly, saying that he hasn't liked "the image Spain has given the world" and that he wants to live in a "free and democratic country".
Referendum week
"It's not been an easy week for anybody. Political topics have been mixed with sporting ones and that's the first mistake. The other day I thought it appropriate to not give a press conference, I had to speak with the manager and with Piqué, I preferred to stay out of it. It was a mistake to mix politics and sport. There's a collective good, which is football and the Russia World Cup. This type of decision isn't for me, nor for anyone linked to this sport. There are people with higher roles to take these decisions. We have to keep ourselves out of it and focus on football. What has to matter to us is football and playing the World Cup. It affects me because, as a Spaniard, I don't like seeing the image that's been given to the world and I want it to be solved as soon as possible."
Relationship with Piqué
"We have a very good relationship despite our characters and our ways of thinking and feeling. We're all of our father and our mother and we have the right to think what we want, as long as we're in the same boat and rowing in the same direction."
Booing Piqué
"You can't ask the fans to do anything, there's freedom of expression... We can't force anyone to say anything, but the team has to be thought about. We ask that there's a good atmosphere and that the people who come to watch the national team can enjoy a great atmosphere. Based on that, everyone can do what they believe appropriate."
The king's speech
"For me, chapeau, more than impeccable, it was necessary for all Spaniards. Even though he supports Atlético de Madrid, I liked it."