Real Madrid News
Toni Kroos talks Ronaldo, Premier League, Florentino Perez, Super League
It has been over eight years since Toni Kroos joined Real Madrid and safe to say that in that time, the German superstar has etched his name in the history of the club forever.
The 32-year-old has been a part of the team that has won four UEFA Champions League titles, along with three La Liga crowns and several other trophies during his time at the Santiago Bernabeu.
Along with Luka Modric and Casemiro, the former Germany international formed one of the best midfield trifectas that the game has ever seen.
On his move to Real Madrid
Looking back at his transfer to Real Madrid in 2014, Kroos revealed the thoughts that went through his mind at the time of the move, saying:
“It was the best decision for me, it was the best thing I could do. It was a big step in terms of sports and my private life, I was 24 years old and had a child.
“When you get to the biggest club in the world, you have to work right away. This means, in particular, that you have to organize everything and at the same time be fully present from day one on the field as if you have been there for ten years.”
Relationship with Florentino Perez
The 32-year-old midfield maestro also opened up on his relationship with club president Florentino Perez, as he said:
“I’m very close to him, he is a very kind-hearted person. Sometimes it can be a bit harmful, but sometimes he has to make tough decisions. From day one, he showed me how happy he was to come to his club, which is unusual for the size of the club.
“He has a lot of world-class players here, some coming and some going. And sometimes some of them are sold for a lot of money. I’ve been at Real Madrid for eight years and I’ve been feeling warm since day one.”
Kroos also explained that in his eight years at the club, he had never felt that Perez wanted to sell him even though he could have gotten a huge transfer fee for his services.
“I know in the eight years he didn’t think for a second to sell me again at some point, unless it was economically viable. I came in for only 25 million euros, surely I could have been sold again for more money but he didn’t,” he said.
European Super League
Talking about the conversations Perez had with him about the European Super League, he said:
“Precisely the plan that Perez followed, let me put it this way, ‘Never contradict your boss (laughs)’. I’m just like everyone else backstage and don’t know much. Obviously, the idea was and still is.”
“I see that the Super League is being worked on and it may take some time, but in my opinion in the end it will become a reality, but I cannot say when,” he added.
Thoughts on the Premier League
The midfielder gave his take on whether he considers the Premier League to be the best competition in European football, saying:
“You can’t say that because there are a lot of big teams, but it’s hard to say. The English Premier League did not win a European title this year. I think teams from Germany and Spain are keeping up.”
Explaining that financial benefits are not always what attracts players to a club, Kroos said:
“TV earnings have been the highest in England for years, yet English teams haven’t benefited and that’s a good sign that it also depends on what the training looks like, and what is the name of the club. Real Madrid and Barcelona are by no means small names.”
“Not every player looks at salary there, but also looks to win a lot and improve more,” he further added.
On Cristiano Ronaldo
The talk then shifted to his former teammate and Real Madrid legend Cristiano Ronaldo, who is back in the Premier League with Manchester United. Kroos spoke highly of the Portugal captain, saying:
“I can tell that there was a lot of work that he put in to get here. You can see him playing football on the weekend, that he drives home with the Ferrari and is on the huge poster. What you don’t see: What he invests every day to stay that way, always to get better.”
“Look at him, he is 37 years old. Not just how he looks, see how he plays, how fit he is, how much he invests every day of the week, whether on the training ground, at home or in his diet.
“He didn’t get here because his name is Cristiano Ronaldo, but because he’s investing an incredible amount to keep going,” Kroos further added.
On his international retirement in 2021
Kroos was part of the Germany squad that won the FIFA World Cup in 2014. The midfielder hung up his boots on the international stage in 2021 after accruing 106 caps for Die Mannschaft. Explaining his decision to do so, he said:
“When I think back to my first year after leaving the national team and how I was still at my best in the Champions League final, it felt the right time to make that decision.”
Player who have the potential to play for Real Madrid
When quizzed if there were any youngsters he believed have the potential to play for Real Madrid, Kroos picked two of his teammates in Fede Valverde and Eduardo Camavinga along with Bayer Leverkusen and Germany sensation Florian Wirtz.
“I like Florian Wirtz. We have Federico & Eduardo, who already play a really good role with us and are definitely players who will shape the next few decades.”
Source: OMR Podcast
Real Madrid are looking towards a heavy splurge in the coming summer transfer window. After all, they do not even have another option given the sheer number of player departures already finalized.
Los Blancos have lost the services of Karim Benzema, Marco Asensio, Mariano Diaz, and Eden Hazard over the past week. While three of the four players predominantly featured on the bench, their presence in the squad gave Carlo Ancelotti’s side much-needed depth and a cushion of sorts.
The forward unit is, thus, the most prioritized department ahead of the transfer window. However, pieces are beginning to fall apart on other fronts and could potentially put the club in a difficult situation.
According to reports from Gianluca Di Marzio, Juventus are eyeing Lucas Vazquez and hope to sign him in the coming month. Contacts between the two parties have begun and the transfer fee discussed appears to be around the €6 million to €8 million ballpark given that he has just one year left on his contract.
The player, for his part, is willing to sign for the Italian giants given his relative lack of minutes at the Santiago Bernabeu. At 31 years of age, he understandably does not want to play a second-fiddle role.
Vasquez played part in 23 of Real Madrid’s 38 La Liga games last season, starting only on 12 occasions. Even in his few appearances, he averaged a mere 50 minutes per game.
The veteran completed the season with four goals and an assist to his name. Further, he averaged five defensive actions and a key pass in every game and feels hard done by his limited role.
Vazquez’s departure would place the club in a tricky situation as it would leave Real Madrid with only Dani Carvajal as a natural right-back option. Nacho Fernandez could, in theory, serve as the backup but a new signing for the position cannot be ruled out.
