Real Madrid News
One overlooked detail from Real Madrid’s win over Man City
Real Madrid delivered a commanding performance against Manchester City in the UEFA Champions League, securing a convincing 3-0 victory that puts them in a strong position ahead of the second leg.
Much of the attention after the match understandably centred on Federico Valverde, who stole the spotlight with a brilliant first-half hat-trick.
However, beyond the goals and attacking brilliance, another key element of the match deserves recognition, which is Real Madrid’s outstanding defensive performance.
One of the biggest stories from the night was the way Madrid’s defence managed to completely neutralise Erling Haaland, one of the most dangerous strikers in world football.
Neutralised Haaland… once again!
The Norwegian struggled to have any meaningful impact throughout the match.
In fact, his statistical contribution tells the story of how effectively Real Madrid contained him.
Haaland finished the game without registering a single shot. He did not attempt a shot on target, did not fire wide, and did not even see a shot blocked by the defence.
It was an unusually quiet night for a player who is one of the most prolific scorers of the current era.
His involvement with the ball was also extremely limited. Over the course of 83 minutes on the pitch, Haaland touched the ball fewer than ten times.
His replacement, Omar Marmoush, managed six touches in just 12 minutes, almost matching Haaland’s involvement in a fraction of the time.
Rudiger on top
Haaland has troubled Real Madrid in past. In fact, he has scored three goals in seven appearances against the Spanish giants, including three goals in his last three matches before this encounter.
However, one of the key figures in Real Madrid’s defensive effort was once again Antonio Rudiger, who delivered another impressive display, continuing his strong record against the Norwegian striker.
The German completed 37 of his 41 passes during the match and won two important aerial battles. He even had time to push forward and attempt a shot.
Alongside him, Dean Huijsen also produced an excellent performance. The young defender rose to the challenge, having completed 44 of his 47 passes, won all of his tackles, and recovered possession twice during the match.
Together, Rudiger and Huijsen formed a defensive wall that Haaland simply could not break down.
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.
