Toni Kroos will face what will be his tenth and almost certainly final season in the real Madrid as the fourth captain of the squad and with the aim of maintaining his status as an untouchable player for the Carlo Ancelotti. A mission that seems not easy for who has been the director of the white orchestra because this course will have more competition than ever in the core.
The German midfielder gave an interview to the ICON magazine of El País at the end of the last season published this Saturday and in which he talks about his role in Madrid, the white comebacks and his evolution as a footballer throughout his extensive career.
The returns
“They have something psychological. Having done it many times, confidence grows and the team believes it. You know that if you endure the game it will give you the option to return. The teammates share the same mentality because they don’t give up . It can be done and we will never get Let’s go from the game.”
“The opponents know that we always come back even when we are down. Until the referee whistled we were there. Last season it was very noticeable. A goal or an occasion that we lose can change the game even if it is against a strong rival. . They think “You can lose because it’s happened before. The opponent’s game changes, they feel a lot of pressure and they start doing things that are not natural. And the Bernabéu woke up, got up and in the end it was just a different player.”
His expectations in Madrid
“When I came to Madrid I thought: I hope I can win titles and a Champions League. I expected good things but not this. I come from a big club like Bayern with the idea of playing for many years, making a place for in myself, having a good relationship with the club, showing my quality…”
Madrid style
“We know how to adapt to the opponent to do damage in a different way. I prefer to have the ball and dominate, but there are days it’s better to have less of it and create space with our forwards. We play well with the ball and we know how to suffer without the ball. We have to accept that there are times when you don’t get it and you have to defend and go on the counter to exploit the opponent’s mistakes”.
“Today’s football is very fast, there is no time to think because the rivals are pressuring you. That is why it is very important for the players to wrap up”
Its purpose
“Today I learn less because I have lived through many situations in my career but I want to continue learning. My idea is to always improve, no matter how old you are or what you have won. You know better of rivals and you have to keep tormenting them”
His partnership with Modric
“We are there for the others to be safe and to be comfortable on the field ourselves. If I have learned anything, it is that to play well you have to be comfortable. This is what we try to give the team. Our zone is important in defense and attack.
Heynckes advice
“At 19, in Leverkusen, he saw my talent but I didn’t play much and he gave me confidence. He told me: ‘Football is also played without the ball. Only with your quality you will not reach the top. To be at the top you have to work a little harder.”
Source: La Verdad
I am Shawn Partain, a journalist and content creator working for the Today Times Live. I specialize in sports journalism, writing articles that cover major sporting events and news stories. With a passion for storytelling and an eye for detail, I strive to be accurate and insightful in my work.
