Liverpool and Brazil striker Roberto Firmino has hit back at Real Madrid’s Sergio Ramos, calling the defender “an idiot” for comments he made about the two teams’ Champions League final at the end of May.
During the game in Kiev, Ramos was involved in a first-half tussle with star Liverpool forward Mohamed Salah which led to the Egyptian being forced off with a shoulder injury.
The Real captain later appeared to elbow Reds goalkeeper Loris Karius, reportedly causing the German to suffer concussion which potentially played a part in mistakes which gifted the Spanish team two goals in their 3-1 win.
Ramos came in for heavy criticism over the incidents, with one distraught Egyptian lawyer filing a $1 billion lawsuit with FIFA against the defender over his role in injuring Salah, who has been left racing to be fit in time for Egypt’s first World Cup campaign in 28 years.
After the uproar, Ramos trolled Liverpool fans over his portrayal as a villain, sarcastically saying he was waiting for supporters to accuse him of giving striker Firmino a cold “because a drop of my sweat landed on him.”
Firmino responded to those comments Wednesday at a press conference ahead of Brazil’s World Cup warm-up game against Austria at the weekend, saying: “I prefer not to make any comments. I think he has a view he was the champion, but I thought he was an idiot for what he said, but that’s OK.”
Both Ramos and Firmino will be in Russia for the World Cup this summer.
The Real Madrid defender will lead his country in their bid to make it two World Cup triumphs, while Brazil striker Firmino will try to help the Samba Boys claim a sixth title.
READ MORE: Spain captain Ramos appears on giant Krasnodar mural ahead of World Cup arrival
Ramos and Spain are expected to arrive at their World Cup base in Krasnodar on Thursday. Residents there clearly see the Spain captain in a positive light, and a seven-storey mural has been painted in the player’s honor in the southern Russian city.
Brazil are due to arrive on June 10 in the Black Sea resort of Sochi, where they will be based for the tournament.