When the final whistle of the game against Belgium filled the air, one of the Dragons' key players entertained mixed feelings while celebrating. On one hand, he had a direct influence in his team's performances throughout the tournament, but after picking up his second yellow card of the tournament, he won't be able to help out in the team's most complicated clash up to date.
Aaron Ramsey's absence in the semi-final match against Portugal might end up being too much to handle for Chris Coleman's crew, considering the excellent skills he's shown while facing Europe's finest.
Arsenal's midfielder has proved his worth by scoring one goal and handing out four assists for Wales.
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Wales' run in the UEFA Euro 2016 may have been fueled by Gareth Bale's all-around performances, but he couldn't have done it without a sidekick. That role was taken by Aaron Ramsey, who became a major influence in the team's tactics and saw him become the competition's assist leader up to this point.
After recovering just in time to be included in Wales' 23-man squad, the 25-year old lifted some weight off Bale's shoulders to reach the semi-final stage, but his absence might prove to be crucial for the Dragons' fate in the competition.
Ramsey reacts after being booked for the second time in the competition.
While Ramsey's offensive contribution has been one of the highlights during the tournament, his defensive performance is an asset that coach Chris Coleman might find hard to replace, even if he will have to deal with Ben Davies' absence as well.
"Aaron has undoubted ability but how much work he puts in maybe gets overlooked. Both players would be a loss to any team. But the attitude of the players who haven't played has been fantastic and that has kept the dressing room really strong," the coach stated during a press conference.
Ramsey celebrates Wales' second goal against Belgium after handing out an assists for Hal Robson-Kanu.
Whoever takes Ramsey's place will have some big shoes to fill. His duties must be shared between all of his team-mates, and perhaps the one that will have to work the hardest will be Gareth Bale, given that he is the most skillful player available for the Dragons, and Coleman might choose to field a player with a more defensive approach. Will Wales be able to reach the final without him? We are 90 minutes away from finding out!
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