Saying goodbye to Kroos, Real Madrid lost its soul

Without Kroos, Real Madrid lost their rhythm.

That night in London, Real Madrid suffered a humiliating 0-3 defeat to Arsenal in the first leg of the Champions League quarter-finals. That day marked exactly 311 days since the Spanish Royal team last stepped onto the top of Europe.

In less than a year, “Los Blancos” has gone from a team with 15 Champions League titles to a team struggling to find its identity. That journey is a discordant harmony between a glamorous past and a doubtful reality.

Real Madrid miss Kroos

From the stands of Emirates Stadium (London, England), people heard familiar whispers: Real Madrid of Vinicius Jr and Kylian Mbappe did not run enough today. Down on the pitch, coach Carlo Ancelotti, with a weary look, continued to complain about the imbalance in the squad.

The fitness issue is just the tip of the iceberg. What Real Madrid lacks is not the number of steps, but the rhythm - the hidden music that coordinates the entire orchestra, creating the famous Champions League symphony.

When Real Madrid defeated Borussia Dortmund at Wembley last year in the 2023/24 season, Vinicius and Rodrygo Goes played like artists painting on canvas with speed and inspiration. But they are now being criticised for their defensive passivity.

Those were the things we saw in Cristiano Ronaldo and Karim Benzema before. Those two superstars are not machines plowing the pitch, but behind them is a system that is tight to every detail, operated by a taciturn conductor - Toni Kroos.

Real Madrid's midfield clearly has problems without Kroos.

Kroos doesn't need flashy performances or flashy lights. He's a Swiss watch in football boots - precise, quiet and durable.

When the team is out of sync, Kroos always knows when to speed up, when to slow down, when to keep the ball, when to open up the wings. In a team full of stars, Kroos is the one who "holds the keys", shaping the play without shouting.

Yet in the spotlight of superstars, Real Madrid did not give Kroos the honor he deserved. At the Bernabeu, there were no fireworks, no cheers for him.

President Florentino Perez, as usual, put his faith in the more flamboyant names: Vinicius today, and Mbappe tomorrow. The golden generation of Casemiro - Modric - Kroos was quietly put to an end, giving way to a more muscular Real Madrid with Federico Valverde, Aurelien Tchouameni, Eduardo Camavinga. They were stronger, better at tackling, but the rhythm was gone.

On the day Real Madrid lost to Arsenal, the statistics at the Emirates gave Madriders chills. Their team ran 13 km less than Arsenal. A telling number.

Amidst a host of players with impressive physiques and prolific ages, Real Madrid are the ones who are running out of steam. That lack of steam does not come from physical strength but from a chaotic playing style, lacking a rhythmic controller like Kroos once did.

This season, Dani Ceballos was brought in as a "patch" solution when that gap became too obvious. But he was never at the level to replace Kroos.

Modric, with age weighing heavily on his shoulders, is still trying to hold on to every minute on the pitch. Mbappe has arrived, bringing with him the hope of a new era of scoring goals.

The arrival of the French superstar has significantly strengthened Real Madrid's attacking firepower. But when behind them is a chaotic midfield lacking leadership, no matter how brilliant the attack is, it is easy to lose its way.

Waiting for a miracle at Bernabeu

Real Madrid are not a team of style. They are a team of winning. Any path is acceptable if it leads to the goal. But right now, the way Real Madrid play does not inspire confidence in continued victories.

Ancelotti is facing the risk of being fired.

The midfield is narrow, the defence is devastated by injuries, the attack lacks connection. They score goals through individual talent rather than a systematic system. Mbappe can be brilliant, Vinicius can explode, but who will be the one to dictate when to keep the ball and when to step on the gas?

In an incomplete Real Madrid, Courtois remains a reliable stopper in goal, while Mbappe is a bright light up front. But for those individuals to link up into a winning team, the team needs more than that - a conductor, someone who understands the game from the ground up, another Kroos.

There is still faith. Real Madrid have never bowed down in the face of adversity. Their history is written with unbelievable comebacks and seemingly absurd victories.

And when the opponents are Arsenal, memories of magical nights at the Bernabeu resurface. Madriders will tell their boys about Derby County, Anderlecht or Borussia Mönchengladbach - teams that once seemed to have beaten them, only to leave the pitch in silence.

Real Madrid may not be perfect. They may be missing Kroos, out of sync in midfield, faltering in organisation. But with Courtois in goal, Mbappe up front, and a never-say-die spirit, they are still Real Madrid - the team of miracles.

And who knows, the next legendary story might be written right at the Bernabeu next week.

Source: https://znews.vn/chia-tay-kroos-real-madrid-mat-luon-linh-hon-post1544878.html