Kroos: “We want to play better football”

Real Madrid midfielder Toni Kroos has talked to German magazine Kicker about the expectations for the team this upcoming season and why Los Blancos struggled so much after Zidane’s departure.

“We want to play better football and do it consistently. That’s important, the rest will come. If you play better you will compete for titles,” said Kroos, acknowledging that the team just didn’t perform well enough during the 2018-2019 season.

Zidane left the team and neither Julen Lopetegui nor Santiago Solari were able to get a consistent effort from their players. When Zidane confirmed his return to Real Madrid, the players just couldn’t pick it up.

“It’s not easy to return this team where Zidane left it, it’s tough to reach that kind of level. Our team was in a different situation when Zidane came back in March 2019 than when he left in May 2018,” explains the midfielder.

Kicker also asked about Luka Jovic, who impressed for Eintracht Frankfurt in the Bundesliga last season.

“He’s adapted well but he had some bad luck with that injury. He’s an option and will help us by scoring goals, which is what he knows best,” concluded Kroos.