Real Madrid captain Sergio Ramos insists he didn't deserve to be sent off in defeat to Barcelona.

Ramos was sent off for a lunge at Leo Messi in Barca's 3-2 win.

He said afterwards: "It was excessive, I was not doing any harm. In my way of understanding football, it is a yellow, not a red one, it is a tackle in which I arrive late but there is no contact, no intention to attack any player. It has been very decisive.

"The referee was not in a hurry to finally give (Gerard) Piqué a foul, but the referee was not the referee, as Piqué was given a chance to change things around like a referee."

On Barca defender Gerard Pique, Ramos continued: "They have another way of understanding football and they always talk about the referees and maybe they will end up getting results.

"We will not talk about the referees, it is not our style. It is not our sport.

"Piqué always likes to talk about the referees. It may be that sometimes it is much better to talk about the referees than to be silent. I'm not going to get into controversy.

"I do not have a problem with Piqué but do not ask me after a Classico to hug him."