Paris Saint-Germain boss Mauricio Pochettino has addressed claims from the club's sporting director Leonardo that the signing of Sergio Ramos has been a "failure".
Leonardo claimed earlier this week that the arrival of the talismanic central defender had not worked out and that he claimed responsibility for the deal not going to plan.
Ramos joined Les Parisiens last summer as a free agent after ending his 16-year association with Real Madrid, for whom he became an emblematic captain.
Yet things have gone wrong for Ramos since making the switch with suggestions that the French club could even go as far as terminating the player's contract.
Ramos has been involved in just five first-team appearances for the club and only three starts with his season in Paris ruined by multiple injury problems.
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The veteran defender has not been in a matchday squad for Mauricio Pochettino’s squad since January and there had been suggestions he may not be able to feature again this campaign.
The 35-year-old penned a two-year contract in the French capital last summer after ending his stay at Real Madrid, where he had been club captain.
Ramos played just four times for Real Madrid in 2021 in the six months prior to his exit, meaning he has not yet hit double figures in first-team appearances since the end of 2020.
That led PSG sporting director Leonardo said earlier this week on the signing of Ramos: "I am not afraid to take responsibility for mistakes when I make them."
Ramos has managed to complete just two full 90 minutes for Les Parisiens, with one of his three starts for the club seeing him hauled off at half-time due to injury concerns.
Yet PSG boss Pochettino insisted that Ramos still has an important role to play for his side this campaign and particularly against his former club.
The French club will travel to the Spanish capital later this month in the second leg of their Round of 16 tie in the Champions League, which they lead 1-0 at the halfway point.
Pochettino highlighted how important Ramos would be not only in that tie against his former team, but in the club’s remaining European fixtures this campaign – where he possessed more experience that most.
Pochettino told a press conference on Friday: "We will see, we will assess it in the next few days.
"He is not integrated into the team, but it is clear that in a Champions League game a player like Sergio can pass on that experience and logically, having been captain and playing for 17 years at a club like Madrid, he can pass on that experience and give good advice to his teammates.
"It would be nice if he was always available for selection, but that is the same for any other players who are injured or suspended.
"It is a good time for us to be all together for our run of matches.
"Small details can be important for us to get good results."
Ramos won an astonishing 22 trophies during his time at Los Blancos including five La Liga titles and four Champions League trophies, scoring a remarkable 101 goals in that timeframe.
However, he has yet to feature in European competition for his new team – but he may break that run if he regains fitness in time to face his old club.
