Sergio Ramos Reveals Referee 'Apologised' for Booking as He Explains Reason for Goal Celebration

Spain captain Sergio Ramos has said that referee Deniz Aytekin has apologised to him for showing him a yellow card during Spain's narrow 2-1 win over Romania, putting the incident down to a misunderstanding. 

Ramos opened the scoring from the penalty spot as Spain went on to secure a fifth straight qualifying win over Romania, but confused some with his celebration as he made a glasses gesture by putting his hands to his face. 

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He later explained this was a tribute to his nephew, who wears glasses, but the referee at the time perceived it as a gesture designed to provoke the home crowd and showed the defender a yellow card. 

In typical Ramos fashion, he ensured the referee knew about his error and said after the match that it is water under the bridge after the official apologised.

"I already talked to the referee," the Real Madrid star explained, as quoted by Goal. "It was to dedicate the goal to my nephew, who also wears glasses to see like me.

"It was to tell him that there is nothing wrong with wearing glasses. I was going to the camera. The referee understood, he apologised and regretted it."

Ramos' side kept their 100% Group F record but were a long way from convincing as Florin Andone's second half strike, after Paco Alcacer had doubled the advantage, made for a nervy final half hour. 

Only a superb Kepa save to deny a George Puscas header kept the three points safe, and the captain has called on his side to up their game in front of goal to ensure they don't slip up in their remaining five matches.

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"Any national match has a tremendous difficulty, and it has been that way," he said. "Despite having made a great first half to have more of an advantage, it has not been so.

"We must learn to kill off these matches, not to reach the end with fear of losing all three points."