adminCristiano Ronaldo, Karim Benzema and Gonzalo Higuain.
Both Alonso and Ramos were cautioned in the closing stages of the match, ruling them out of what is in all intents and purposes a dead rubber in Istanbul next week. It means the pair will have a clean slate for the semi-finals.
Former Liverpool man Alonso was first into the book following an angry confrontation with the referee, while Ramos followed when he kicked the ball away having conceded a foul.
UEFA rules state that players who deliberately seek a booking can be handed a two-game ban.
It is not the first time Madrid involved in similar dirty tricks. In 2010, both Ramos and Alonso were again at the centre of a storm when they were sent off in a match at Ajax with victory already assured.
On that occasion, both received second yellow cards for time-wasting, as a result of which manager Jose Mourinho was handed a suspended two-game ban and £35 000 fine, while the players were fined £18 000 each. Iker Casillas and Jerzy Dudek were also sanctioned for their part in the ploy.
Speaking after the match, the manager gave little away to suggest he had been party to any wrongdoing.
He said: ‘They are important absences for the next games. Ramos and Alonso can now play on Saturday (in the league), when they weren’t going to but it complicates my plans for the second leg. When I saw the cards, what I had been thinking about doing [in the second leg) was ruined.’
Earlier this season, Levante’s Sergio Ballesteros was hit with a two-game ban in the Europa League for deliberately seeking a yellow card.
In 2010, Real Madrid assured themselves of a place in the knockout stage with a game to spare. In the penultimate match, both Xabi Alonso and Sergio Ramos were one card away from suspension . . . but didn’t want to miss the first leg of the knockout tie..
Late in the match against Ajax, with Madrid leading 4-0, Alonso and Ramos dallied over a free-kick and goalkeeping respectively, earning themselves an early bath, suspension for the irrelevant final group game, and a clean slate for the next set of games.— Mailonline.
Online Reporter