MADRID: Sergio Ramos burst into tears as he said farewell to Real Madrid on Thursday after 16 years but left with a parting shot, saying he was surprised that the club decided to withdraw a one-year contract offer to him by claiming it had expired.

Ramos, who made 671 appearances for Real and scored 101 goals including netting in two Champions League finals since arriving from Sevilla in 2005, ran down his contract with the 13-times European champions and was unable to agree a new deal with the club.

He said he was offered a one-year contract on a 10% reduction to his previous salary but was holding out for a two-year deal “so my family could have continuity and tranquillity”, only to find out the previous offer had been withdrawn.

“I said ‘ok’ but they told me the offer that was on the table had expired. I respect their decision but it was a surprise,” he told a news conference.

“I didn’t realise the offer had an expiry date. There will be many opinions about me but I’d prefer people to know the full story first and the president and club know it wasn’t about money, they offered me one year and I wanted two.”

The 35-year-old defender, who leaves as a free agent, said he is excited about his future but did not say where he will be playing next. A venture abroad to either Paris St Germain in Ligue 1 or the Premier League look like his most likely destinations due to his high salary, and he dismissed suggestions he could return to boyhood club Sevilla.

The player’s family, including his wife and four children, attended the farewell event along with club president Florentino Perez .

Perez said it was “not an easy day”, saluting Ramos as “one of the great legends of Real Madrid”.

“You have grown as a player and been our iconic captain for years,” Perez added.

Published in Dawn, June 18th, 2021