Euro 2020: Sergio Ramos snub brought up again after Spain draws against Sweden

Spain did not open their Euro 2020 campaign as well as they would have hoped, after managing to come away with a mere goalless draw against Sweden on Monday. The draw raised more questions about the absence of former captain Sergio Ramos and the lacklustre performance of striker Alvaro Morata.

Luis Enrique's side dominated the match which took place at home in Sevilla. They controlled 85% of the possession, but that did not translate to even a single goal in 90 minutes. The Spanish squad was already under the microscope even before the tournament started, after Enrique decided to leave Real Madrid and national team captain Sergio Ramos out of the squad.

After the dismal result of the opening match, the questions resurfaced once more. Apart from the Ramos issue, Morata also became a scapegoat for frustrated fans. The Juventus forward had a great opportunity to score after a botched attempt at a clearance by Marcus Danielson, but the Spaniard could only send the ball wide off the mark.

Dani Olmo and Koke also made their attempts but no one could beat Swedish goalkeeper Robin Olsen. Sweden then threatened to score first thanks to a deflected shot by Alexander Isak that was only kept out by the post.

Spanish fans are frustrated, after hopes were dashed that the team might do well despite the selection controversy and two positive Covid-19 tests on Sergio Busquets and Diego Llorente ahead of the first match. Apart from Ramos, numerous complaints have also emerged from the fact that not a single Real Madrid player was called up to the squad.

Enrique has since defended his decision, citing the fact that Ramos has been injured since January, and has played only a handful of competitive matches since. He ended the season on the Real Madrid bench, after failing to regain full fitness by the end of the season.

Nevertheless, it is still very early in the competition and anything can still happen. The manager pointed out that the fans will easily forget their grievances once Morata starts scoring in their upcoming matches in Group E. At the moment, Slovakia holds the top spot after a 2-1 victory over Poland.