Spain

Sergio Ramos: 'Better balance in Spain squad'

By Matt Law, Football Editor | 23 March 2018

Sergio Ramos claims that Spain's "style of play is more balanced" due to the fact that there are fewer Barcelona players in the national team squad.

Sergio Ramos has claimed that Spain's "style of play is more balanced" due to the fact that there are fewer Barcelona players in the national team squad.

Barcelona only have three representatives - Andres Iniesta, Jordi Alba and Gerard Pique - in the latest La Roja squad, while Real Madrid have six, and there are 14 from elsewhere.

Ramos has claimed that the mix of players "is beneficial to Spanish football" as the 2010 world champions look to make an impression at the 2018 World Cup in Russia.

"Now we see more Madrid players in the Spanish squad than from Barcelona," Ramos told Diario AS. "Generations have changed and some players have retired and others have come through, but the balance of players does not make much difference.

"Perhaps now our style of play is more balanced as we have more players from different clubs and Barca's style of play is less notable in the national team now. We have players from a mix of clubs like Valencia and Villarreal, which is beneficial for Spanish football."

Spain will face world champions Germany in an international friendly on Friday, before hosting Argentina on Tuesday night.