Former Real Madrid midfielder Toni Kroos gives a detailed and honest assessment White Lost 1:2 to Manchester City in the UEFA Champions League.
He highlighted the contrast between this performance and the inconsistent level White showed themselves throughout the season.
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Speaking in Just deal with it With the authority of a man who understands the essence of Real Madrid better than anyone else, Kroos analyzed the match with precision and conviction.
What did he say?
Kroos noted that Real Madrid's intensity was immediately noticeable, especially compared to Pep Guardiola's side. He stated:
“Real Madrid versus Man City? It felt like Madrid was clearly more intense. This match meant more to them.”
The German then turned his attention to Manchester City's approach, noting that while the Premier League side followed their usual tactical plan, their execution lacked penetration.
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Kroos explained that City's structure caused little concern for Real, saying: “What struck me was that City structured the game the way they always do, but it was very static and inoffensive.
Real Madrid played better football than Manchester City. (Photo by Florencia Tang Jun/Getty Images)
“They never got into dangerous areas of space, especially in the first half.
“I think Madrid played a really solid game and defended the dangerous areas very well and compactly.”
City didn't deserve to win
Finally, Kroos felt that Real Madrid deserved more in this match. “Manchester City didn't deserve to win. In fact, Real Madrid were the more dangerous team.”
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However, he also noted a recurring tactical problem that arose when City sat deeper after the second goal.
He noted that this exposed a known flaw in Madrid's offensive structure. “After City scored the second goal, they went into a very deep block.
“And it showed a visible problem for Madrid: they are incredibly good at transitioning, but not very good at breaking up low blocks.” – he concluded.
