Real Madrid News
Luis Figo talks Mourinho, Mbappe, Ballon d’Or, La Liga title race: ‘Real Madrid will fight until very end’
Real Madrid have not had the best of starts to the season. Heading into the international break, they are sitting six points behind rivals Barcelona in LaLiga after a 2-1 defeat in the Madrid derby.
The result has raised fresh doubts over Jose Mourinho’s side, who have already lost twice this season.
However, Real Madrid legend Luis Figo remains confident that Los Blancos will be in the title race come the business end of the campaign.
Figo backs Real Madrid
Speaking to Radio MARCA (h/t Mundo Deportivo), Figo insisted the club would not give up despite their deficit.
“Surely Madrid will fight until the very end. This is a competition that has to be regular until May.
“There will be highs and lows during the season. When there are lows you have to have the maturity and also the quality to overcome them and move on,” he said.
Currently serving as an advisor to UEFA, but a man with strong ties with Real Madrid, Figo also addressed Mourinho’s criticism of the referees following the derby.
“He has done what he has thought to do at the time. I don’t have to comment. I think they are personal performances and if he has done it it is because he has felt it that way,” said Figo, who admitted he had not watched the derby as he was in Zurich.
Praise for Barcelona and Mbappe
Figo also offered his thoughts on Barcelona, acknowledging the flying start made by Hansi Flick’s men.
“They have started very strong. They’re winning, playing well, scoring goals,” he said, before adding that the season remains long. “You have to see how the season goes, which is very long. For Spanish football, logically, it is good.”
The former winger reserved special praise for Kylian Mbappe, who has been in prolific form for Real Madrid this season.
“He is always at a very high level. He’s one of the best in the world, to score goals,” Figo said.
On the Ballon d’Or, whose voting closes on Monday, he remained diplomatic. “Who has the power to decide is the one who votes. You have to wait to see what happens. I don’t vote, so I don’t have that problem in my head,” he concluded.
In a major update, AS reports that former Real Madrid midfielder and club legend Toni Kroos has taken his first step towards starting his coaching career.
The former Germany international has told the Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) that he is interested in joining the coaching course reserved for professional footballers.
Real Madrid tried to bring Kroos back
It is no secret that Real Madrid considered bringing Toni Kroos back into the club’s structure after the end of the last season.
The club president, Florentino Perez, had wanted Kroos to have a daily presence at Valdebebas rather than making occasional appearances after his retirement.
Jose Angel Sanchez and Kroos spoke after Perez expressed his desire to see the German working at Valdebebas every day. However, they did not find the right moment, time or structure to give his return a clear form.
A comeback remains one of the possibilities most desired by Madrid supporters because of Kroos’ charisma and what he represents at the Santiago Bernabeu. Neither side wanted him to return simply for the sake of it, so the door remains open for the future.
The relationship between the two parties is excellent, and both know that the opportunity to work together again will eventually come.
Taking it step by step
For now, Kroos continues to run the academy he established in Boadilla, enjoying the opportunity to help develop younger players.
After two years away from the competitive side of football, however, he is beginning to look towards the dugout as a possible next step in his career.
Kroos currently holds coaching qualifications that allow him to work up to the third tier of Spanish football.
This is possible because professionals with at least seven years of proven experience and significant involvement at the elite level can gain direct access to accelerated coaching courses.
That means Kroos could coach a team in Primera Federacion, but the German wants to take things gradually.
Kroos has already informed the RFEF that he would be interested in joining the coaching course reserved for professional footballers during the 2027/28 season.
The course taking place this season is not available to elite former players, with UEFA limiting each campaign to 20 places.
With his current qualifications, Kroos could work as an assistant coach, but he cannot yet take charge as a head coach in either the top flight or the Segunda División.
But completing that programme would allow Kroos to obtain the UEFA A licence, which would enable him to coach teams at any level.
