Real Madrid News
Real Madrid defender shares past pain after beating Man City: ‘Have lost a lot of titles to them’
Real Madrid’s 2-1 victory over Manchester City once again highlighted their dominance on the European stage, but for Trent Alexander-Arnold, the result carried personal triumph.
Having experienced multiple setbacks against City in the past during his Liverpool days, the full-back approached this tie with a clear understanding of the challenge, and the satisfaction after overcoming it was evident.
Reflecting on the difficulty of facing Manchester City and what it meant to finally get the better of them, Alexander-Arnold spoke candidly about the significance of the result.
“I’ve lost a lot of titles to City. I know how hard it was to beat them, and we’ve done a great job.
“Vinicius, Valverde, the centre backs… everyone worked really hard to secure our place in the next round.”
Explaining new life
Apart from the result itself, Trent also addressed his difficult journey this season.
After a slow start marked by injuries and inconsistent form, he has gradually rediscovered his rhythm and is now playing with far greater confidence.
“I feel the confidence the coach has in me, and I can show that on the field—I’m more confident.
“I started the season at a lower level and dealing with several injuries. Now I feel great physically, and I think I’m gradually contributing more to the team,” he explained.
Praising his teammates
The defender then shifted the focus back to the standout performances across both legs.
In particular, he pointed to the influence of Federico Valverde and Vinicius Jr., both of whom played decisive roles.
“Last week, Fede put in one of the best performances we’ve ever seen.
“Vini once again demonstrated his world-class quality by scoring both goals and securing the victory for us.
“The two centre-backs were also outstanding in both matches. Ultimately, we deserved to qualify,” he added.
With Real Madrid now advancing to the quarter-final, attention inevitably turns to what lies ahead.
At this stage of the season, the margin for error is minimal, and expectations at a club like Madrid only continue to rise.
“This is the most important time of the season. Every game is like a final, but at this club there’s an expectation to go far in this competition and win it.
“That expectation is there, and it motivates us and brings out the best in us,” he concluded.
Source: Mundo Deportivo
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.
