Ramos: Real need a player like Busquets

Posted Thursday, March 21, 2013 by Foxsports.com

Sergio Ramos believes that Real Madrid should reduce the burden on Xabi Alonso and sign another defensive midfielder of Sergio Busquets' calibre.

Busquets, 24, has become a mainstay at Barcelona and acts as both a shield for the defence as well as the fulcrum for the side's attacks. He is also a rather unpopular figure at the Santiago Bernabeu and has earned criticism for falling to ground far too easily in La Liga matches.

However, Ramos was not averse to praising a midfielder plying his trade for arch-rivals Barcelona and feels it would be important for the capital club to sign a similar player.

Currently, Madrid boast the likes of Alonso, Michael Essien and Sami Khedira but Ramos opined that the team might need another player for the defensive midfield role.

"There are a number of players I like, but the one we perhaps need is Busquets," Ramos told Cadena COPE.

"Xabi Alonso is playing too many matches now and we could do with a player like Busquets.

"There's also [Andres] Iniesta, but seeing him wearing the Madrid jersey is like [Lionel] Messi at Madrid: impossible.

Moreover, the Spain international confessed that despite the intense rivalry between the two sides, he endeavours to maintain good relations with the Barcelona players, many of whom are also his team-mates for the national side.
"I get along pretty well with the Barcelona players, with Andres, Busquets and also with [Gerard] Pique.

"Some will be surprised that I have a good relationship with Victor Valdes, but we have similar thoughts about a lot of things."

Ramos is currently with the Spain squad for a World Cup qualifier against Finland on Friday.