Aritz Aduriz admits he was hunting Real Madrid captain Sergio Ramos when sent off for Athletic Bilbao back in 2006/07.

Aduriz was sent off back in the 2006/07 campaign for a clear elbow to the face of Mahamadou Diarra during a Real Madrid vs Athletic Club match at the Estadio Santiago Bernabeu, but he has now admitted that it was not meant for the Malian midfielder.

The now-retired Basque striker, instead, confesses that he was hoping to make contact with Real Madrid centre-back Sergio Ramos.

"Obviously, and I've told him many times, playing against Ramos was a nightmare at the time," Aduriz told Radio MARCA when asked who was the defender that got on his nerves the most.

"The Ramos-Pepe partnership was a lot of fun to play against. I enjoyed it a lot, but I've said it to Sergio many times: it was tough.

"I have to say that I've never said it before: once I was sent off at the Bernabeu because I elbowed Diarra, a terrible elbow, horribly ugly, I'm not proud of it at all, but that elbow was for Sergio.

"I made a mistake in the jump. I have a terrible love and friendship with Sergio, but they were tough games."