Real Madrid News
Toni Kroos opens up on his ambitions, time at Real Madrid, Luka Modric ahead of the new season
It is no secret that Toni Kroos is the heart of Real Madrid’s midfield. The German international may not be the most flashy player on the ball, but his genius and control on the field make him a fundamental cog in Carlo Ancelotti’s setup.
At 33 years of age, Kroos directly contributed to six goals in Real Madrid’s recent La Liga campaign. What makes the statistic more astounding is that he played most of the season as a defensive midfielder with close to eight defensive actions per game.
Earlier today, the German maestro spoke to AS (h/t Madrid Xtra) about a plethora of topics including his time at Real Madrid, the mentality of the dressing room, and his teammate Luka Modric.
The World Cup winner first commented on how his time at the club thus far matched up to the expectations he held while joining.
“When I arrived in Madrid I used to always say, ‘I hope to win the Champions League’. I was expecting great things but not to this level.”
Kroos has always been one to strive for perfection. Over the years, the veteran has carved a reputation as a fighter and has not allowed his age to slow him down.
Speaking on his drive to improve, he said: “My idea is to always keep improving, no matter the age because I want to keep winning more trophies.”
Looking ahead to the 2023-24 season, the German faces more competition than ever. The additions of Arda Guler and Jude Bellingham to Carlo Ancelotti’s pre-existing goldmine in midfield leave Kroos and Modric with a different role.
“Me and Modric are here for others to feel safe and comfortable to play. To help the youngsters and we will do that,” he said about his role in the upcoming season.
Finally, the legendary midfielder gave a crisp statement about the nature of Los Blancos’ dressing room and what kept them going through all the lows with fortitude.
“All the players in Madrid have the same mentality because we never give up.”
Locking horns in what is invariably perceived as an intense affair, Atletico Madrid and Real Madrid concluded their most recent clash with controversy enshrouding the result.
Diego Simeone’s cavalry came out on top with a 3-1 win, but the reactions by both sides after the game implied a sense of bad blood, which appears to be an ongoing matter.
The Merengues expressed their displeasure with some of the referee’s decisions during their Real Madrid TV broadcast, highlighting the ‘blatant errors’ they felt referee Javier Alberola Rojas and the VAR had committed.
However, in response to the allegations, Atletico Madrid CEO has retaliated with his own accusations, not holding back against Real Madrid.
Gil Marin accuses Madrid of cheating
As per MARCA, Atletico Madrid CEO Miguel Angel Gil Marin believes that the Real Madrid-related media atmosphere is exerting pressure on the referee teams for the upcoming games.
“Real Madrid cheats the competition. They create unbearable pressure on the referees. The arguments they use are funny but very serious and directly affect the competition,” he boldly exclaimed.
Real Madrid pointed out a bucketload of errors made by the referee on Madrid TV, including goals that should not have stood and violations that warranted sending-offs.
Even so, Gil Marin has not taken these assertions lightly and privately mocked the actions of Real Madrid’s claims.
“They are fanatics. They know that if they do not say these types of things, they would quickly lose their jobs,” he said.
Moreover, he alluded to the instance of Jude Bellingham’s tackle on Angel Correa in the dying embers of the game and how the narrative would have been vastly different if the roles were reversed.
“We wouldn’t be talking about anything else [had that happened],” he concluded.
