Toni Kroos proves the pass master yet again to point the way for Real Madrid | Sid Lowe
Before the game, Thomas Tuchel cautioned that Real Madrid could score without warning, and Toni Kroos emphasized this point. However, despite Bayern Munich's efforts, they could not prevent it. Tuchel had previously mentioned that while observing their matches, there would be instances where Real Madrid appeared to be at a disadvantage, causing fans to feel at ease and believe there was no danger. Upon resuming the match, in a matter of seconds, the ball would already be in the opponents' goal.
When you go back and try to figure out where everything went wrong, that's what happened here. With control of the situation, he was able to identify the exact moment his defense fell apart. It all started in Madrid, with Kroos as the instigator. He was on the center of the screen, strolling across the midfield seemingly without direction. He looked to the left, and hoped that everyone else would follow his eyes instead of his hands– except for Vinícius Júnior, of course. With a sudden arm movement, Kroos signaled to the path that had opened up, and Vinícius took off running. With a small turn of his foot, Vinícius kicked the ball and successfully got past Kim Min-jae.
Vinícius felt that his clean finish was due to a gift from Kroos. After scoring, he ran straight to his teammate and acknowledged his assist. Vinícius stated that they have a great understanding on the field. Madrid was able to secure a slender advantage with a 2-2 draw, which they didn't seem to be in a position to achieve early on in the game. Vinícius praised Kroos for his ability to make difficult things look easy. Madrid had only taken their first shot after 24 minutes, while Bayern had already taken seven.
Tuchel predicted it and Madrid are sticking to their pattern. In the Champions League from 2010-2011 to present day, Madrid has had less than optimal shots in comparison to their opponents in 25 games and only lost 9. Additionally, their performance has exceeded their expected goals (xG) in 24 knockout games. Opponents are aware of this.
Can you experience a sense of powerlessness in under a minute? What about six minutes or eight minutes? In the game against Madrid, the Bayern team had four chances to score within those time frames, starting with Leroy Sané who had a one-on-one opportunity with Harry Kane. The frustration was palpable when Bayern failed to take any of those chances, and a feeling of having been through this before started to permeate the atmosphere.
Bayern was being very insistent and had Jamal Musiala, Kane, and Thomas Müller all in the game against Madrid. Despite their efforts, Madrid was struggling until Kroos took the lead. It wasn't just the fact that he made a crucial pass that helped them get back into the game, but he also had the determination and coolness needed to take control. Additionally, he has a commanding presence on the field, and it's as if he has his own personal area that others aren't allowed to cross. By halftime, he had only missed one pass out of 82 attempts. When he was taken out of the game, he had completed an impressive 79 passes. No one on either team had completed more than him.
Madrid was struggling during the game, but they were given a chance to lead and stay in the game thanks to a great pass. Bayern and Kim played a part in making the pass possible. Despite the lead, Bayern didn't think it was game over yet. However, Vinícius proved to be the most important player of the game with two goals and a pass that led to a penalty for their second goal.
However, Kroos didn't let the game slip away from him against the team he used to play for for eight years. This serves as a reminder that there is more to success than simply luck and bravery - it requires true skill and expertise. This can be seen in Kroos' own career, as he has been using the same boots for 13 years now, which had to be custom-made for him. Despite potentially seeming outdated, Kroos' mastery of the sport is undeniable.
It's possible that Kroos might not have stayed with Madrid and might still not return. After Madrid's defeat last year, some believed that Kroos and Modric's time with the team was ending and there was a desire to speed up the transition. Ancelotti asked for understanding from the senior players. Kroos didn't start the season in the first team. He thought about retiring and is still considering it. He only has two months left on his contract and hasn't said if he'll stay or not. The only response to this is please stay. The coach says Kroos is "irreplaceable" even when he doesn't play.
He did something extraordinary, unlike anyone else. In a semi-final match of the Champions League, surrounded by some of the greatest players like Jude Bellingham, Vinícius, Musiala, and Kane, he showed his exceptional skills effortlessly. Ancelotti acknowledged his performance by saying, "It's quite normal, it's nothing new; we wanted to have better control of the game, and he is the best at it." He may not have fast legs, but Fede Valverde, Eduardo Camavinga, Aurélien Tchouaméni can cover him up, and he has amazing passing abilities. In this competition, no one can complete passes with a higher percentage than him. Juan Román Riquelme once said that he is the Roger Federer of football, "He can go out, play, and go home without even taking a bath: he doesn't sweat, doesn't get dirty, doesn't need to throw himself down." He only needs to show the way, as he did in the game, pointing out what Bayern Munich missed.
