Did Real Madrid duo Xabi Alonso and Sergio Ramos get themselves deliberately sent off against Ajax?

Real Madrids comfortable 4-nil victory at Ajax on Tuesday night in the Champions League has since been shrouded in controversy after it was suggested that the late dismissals of Xabi Alonso and Sergio Ramos were fully orchestrated and intentional.

Jose Mourinhos team ran riot with goals from Karim Benzema, Alvaro Arbeloa and two from Cristiano Ronaldo, on what appeared to be a routine match for Los Blancos. However, the Spanish side raised suspicions when, late on in the game, Scottish referee Craig Thomson was compelled to show second yellow cards to Alonso and Ramos for blatant time wasting. Their actions were so obvious that neither player took their respective free and goal kicks. Instead, on both occasions the players in question ran up to the ball, stopped and then jogged backwards on numerous occasions until the referee simply had to intervene.

By collecting red cards at this stage of the competition, both Alonso and Ramos will have a clean slate when Real play their first match in the last 16 of the competition.

Spanish sports daily Marca have gone a step further then just calling out Xabi Alonso and Sergio Ramos for their dismissals. Instead, with the aid of pictures and hearsay, it is claimed that Jose Mourinho was the ring-master of both sendings off as the Special One transmitted messages to the players via his sub goalie Jerzy Dudek.

Marca claim that Mourinho sent Dudek to speak to keeper Iker Casillas to get the Chinese whispers rolling. From there Casillas is said to have relayed the message to Ramos, who in turn passed it on to Alonso.

Whether or not any hard evidence can be brought to support this accusation remains doubtful.

Footage of Xabi Alonso and Sergio Ramoss dismissals can be seen here.

***

As a bonus, Cristiano Ronaldos individual match highlights against Ajax can be seen here.

Watch Free Live Soccer Football Matches Online Here