Tennis star Rafael Nadal defends Real Madrid’s approach in 1-1 draw against FC Barcelona
Tennis superstar, Rafael Nadal, has defended Jose Mourinho’s anti-football approach in Saturday's encounter against reigning La Liga champions Barcelona.
Real Madrid held Barcelona to a 1-1 draw in the most recent El Clasico. However, analysts from all over the world have hit out at Los Galactico's performance and their manager’s approach towards the game.
Real Madrid legend, Alfredo Di Stefano and former Barcelona manager, Johan Cruyff all criticised Jose Mourinho’s approach in containing Barcelona, tagging it ‘anti-football’ as opposed to Barcelona’s ‘easy-to-the-eye’ version of tiki-taka football. However, tennis star Rafael Nadal, a die-hard Real Madrid fan, has voiced his belief that the controversial manager does not deserve the criticism that has been directed at him. The Spaniard said that it is not always important to play nice football.
"After a 5-0 [loss to Barcelona earlier in the season] Mourinho had to make a change, it is as though I lost 6-0, 6-0 against an opponent," said the world number 1.
Nadal admitted that he appreciates Barcelona’s football philosophy but stressed that it would be unfair to compare the two teams. He said that Real Madrid have gone through a lot of changes in recent years and the side is still going through the process of developing a system that suits the players. Even though Nadal did not predict a winner for the upcoming Copa del Rey final between Real Madrid and Barcelona, the tennis star said that Real Madrid have a great chance of lifting the Champions League and Copa del Rey.
In Saturday’s draw against Barcelona, Mourinho deployed http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Lionel-Messi-c22296. The plan worked out as the trio was able to contain the twin-threat of Messi and Iniesta.
Saturday’s meeting was not the last of this season's head-to-head encounters for the two giants; Real Madrid and Barcelona will lock horns in the semi-final of the UEFA Champions League and will also play in the final of the Copa del Rey.
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