Sanchez: Real are perfectly balanced

Posted Saturday, July 14, 2012 by ESPN

Real Madrid legend Hugo Sanchez has stated a preference for the team's direct style of play instead of Barcelona's possession football.

Although Barcelona's playing style has earned them plenty of success and has been adopted by the Spanish national team in their charge to glory, it is not a tactic that is universally loved. Critics have labelled "tiki-taka" boring, while supporters consider it a showcase of talent and technical ability. '

Sanchez told Radio Marca that he preferred the pace and energy characteristic of Real Madrid, as compared to the slow build-up displayed by their Catalan rivals.
"I personally prefer Real Madrid's playing style to Barcelona's style. I like the directness and explosiveness," Sanchez shared.

"It's a style that has always served Madrid well. If we conceded once, we scored three ourselves. If they scored twice, we netted five times. You have to be aggressive and play at high pace with vertical passes. And obviously, you have to be strong in defence as well."

Los Blancos' recent La Liga triumph was their first in three years, breaking up Barcelona's previous domination. The four-time Pichichi trophy winner believes manager Jose Mourinho's influence was vital to their title win, and he predicts that there will be more to come in the near future.

"Mourinho has made them a perfectly balanced team. I am convinced that they can win three or four consecutive titles with Mourinho in charge. They might even bring back the golden days," Sanchez stated.