Ex-Barcelona coach Louis van Gaal slams 'cunning, negative' Real Madrid | OneFootball

Former Barcelona coach Louis van Gaal insists they didn't deserve defeat to Real Madrid on Saturday.

Barca lost 2-1 at the Estadio Alfredo di Stefano - a result Van Gaal found unjust.

"I am here with a broken heart, because I think Barcelona basically has better match tactics and is more attractive than Real Madrid," said Van Gaal on Ziggo Sport via Voetbalzone.

Van Gaal had two spells in charge of Barca, from 1997-2000 before returning for the 2002/03 season. With the Blaugrana, the Dutch coaching great twice won the LaLiga and also the Copa del Rey and UEFA Cup - all achieved in that first season in charge.

Reflecting on Saturday's El Clasico setback, Van Gaal continued: "The first half was a division of possession 69 against 31 (for Barça). Real Madrid scored from a counter, confirming their way of playing. That is easy. Barcelona put in another player in the second half. They attacked and took out a defender (Antoine Griezmann came in for Sergiño Dest). Then it is earned 2-1, and Real Madrid's play remains the same."

Van Gaal also took aim at Real Madrid coach Zinedine Zidane's tactics, which he condemned as consciously conservative.

"No, I do want to say that it is smart," Van Gaal added, "No, that is not smart, that is cunning. That is something different. Smart and cunning are different things. This is negative. You have to entertain the audience, but there is no audience..."

Defeat at Real Madrid now sees Barca sitting in third place on the LaLiga table, a point behind second-place Real and two points from leaders Atletico Madrid. Interestingly, sitting in fourth place is Sevilla, which are just four points behind Barca.

- updated April 13