Real Madrid News
Kroos backs Real Madrid for a comeback against Bayern Munich – ‘Most dangerous team in the world’
Former Real Madrid midfielder and club legend Toni Kroos reckons that it is not impossible for Los Blancos to mount a comeback against Bayern Munich in the UEFA Champions League.
Real Madrid lost 1-2 to Bayern Munich at the Santiago Bernabeu earlier this week in the first leg of their Champions League quarter-final tie.
As such, Alvaro Arbeloa & co. will have a mountain to climb next week at the Allianz Arena in the reverse fixture.
Bayern Munich’s exceptional home record this season makes it an extremely difficult challenge for the Spanish capital club.
Toni Kroos gives his verdict
Analysing the first leg on his podcast Einfach mal Luppen (h/t Mundo Deportivo), Kroos gave his verdict on what went down at the Bernabeu, while backing Real Madrid to mount a comeback in Germany next week.
“I wasn’t surprised by what happened in the match, although Bayern put in an excellent performance, but what happened after going 2-0 down was the most striking aspect mentally,” he said.
The former midfielder firmly believes Real Madrid have a chance to turn things around in Munich, as he said:
“In recent years, Bayern have put in good performances against Real Madrid, but in the second leg they often fail to maintain their level or secure qualification, being undone by small details.”
The former Bayern and Real Madrid player believes the German champions lacked mental strength to close the game at the Bernabeu.
“The 2-0 lead should have mentally sealed the game and eliminated any doubts about the result, but what surprised me was that Bayern started to drop back and defend with less intensity,” he said.
“At that point, Bayern had total control of the game and I expected them to continue dominating or even extend their lead.
“I thought they would maintain control through possession or add a third, fourth, and perhaps even a fifth goal, but the opposite happened.”
Kroos also pointed at what he felt was a key moment in the game that changed things, saying:
“Upamecano’s mistake against Vinicius was a turning point in the match. After that, Real Madrid showed their character and created several dangerous chances between the 60th and 75th minutes despite being down 0-2.”
Concluding, he noted: “In my opinion, Real Madrid is the most dangerous team in the world when matches become chaotic, end-to-end attacks; it’s a style they thrive on. That’s why Real Madrid came close to equalizing.
“The match could have ended 3-3, but it finished 1-2. From my perspective, Bayern should have managed the game better, either by maintaining their two-goal lead or by exploiting the spaces to make it 1-3 or 1-4.”
Real Madrid News
Real Madrid midfield mainstay set for 50% pay rise as contract talks advance – report
Real Madrid have made significant progress in negotiations with Jude Bellingham’s representatives over a new contract and are hopeful of reaching an agreement before the end of 2026, according to Graeme Bailey.
The England midfielder is already under contract at the Santiago Bernabeu until 2029, but Los Blancos have been keen to revisit his terms after his continued rise in importance for both club and country.
On that note, the proposed renewal would reward Bellingham with a substantial salary increase and strengthen his position among Real Madrid’s highest-paid players.
Bellingham in line for huge Real Madrid pay rise
The journalist states that Bellingham currently earns around €20 million per season, but the proposed agreement would take his salary beyond €30 million annually.
This represents an increase of roughly 50% and would place the England star in the same financial bracket as Real Madrid stars Kylian Mbappe and Vinicius Jr, who also renewed his contract with substantial pay rise earlier this year.
Notably, the club’s thinking is closely linked to Bellingham’s status within the team.
Madrid consider him one of the leading midfielders in world football and believe his performances have put him into the conversation for the next Ballon d’Or.
His latest international displays have only reinforced that view, with Bellingham playing a starring role for England against Croatia.
Real Madrid want Bellingham tied down beyond 2029
The proposed renewal is expected to extend Bellingham’s commitment beyond his current 2029 expiry date, with a deal running until at least 2031 being discussed.
The precise length could depend on when the final agreement is signed, but Madrid’s intention is for Bellingham to be tied down for the foreseeable future.
Real Madrid’s proposal also gets strong backing from the fact that Bellingham is certainly not looking for a way out of the Bernabeu.
The midfielder is happy with life in Madrid and committed to continuing his career with the Spanish giants, making the current negotiations more about securing an agreement that reflects his status than trying to convince him to stay.
