Toni Kroos has broken down how Real Madrid can complete comeback against Arsenal – 3 steps
Toni Kroos was the catalyst for many Real Madrid comebacks in the past. Think about games against Chelsea, PSG and Manchester City — Kroos was there in the middle of the park pulling all the right strings.
Kroos quit football last summer, leaving a gaping hole in Madrid’s midfield that still hasn’t been plugged. You’d assume he knows exactly what must be done to remedy a bad situation.
Watching from the comfort of his home, the German superstar has now proffered a three-step plan to get Madrid out of their present Champions League quarter-final conundrum against Arsenal.
Step 1. Press, press, press!
Kroos says Real Madrid will not win if they continue with the passive football they played at the Emirates. Madrid covered the least distance of every club that played in the quarter-final first leg last week.
Los Blancos cannot sit back and soak up pressure again. On the contrary, they must start on the front foot and press their visitors to death.
Relentless pressure from everyone will create gaps in the final third for players like Vinicius, Mbappe and Rodrygo. The goals will come naturally after that.
Ancelotti raises his voice while speaking to Real Madrid players in crunch meeting before Arsenal game
Step 2. Score early
Kroos has advised Real Madrid to score as early as the first 15-20 minutes to stand a better chance of completing the comeback.
Real Madrid blew Manchester City out of water in the playoffs because Mbappe ruthlessly dispatched two quickfire goals inside the first 25 minutes at the Bernabeu. Man City weren’t even set before they found themselves chasing the game.
Arsenal are a good defensive side that are always difficult to break down. By scoring early, Madrid will put them under all kinds of pressure
Step 3. Give everything to equalize
Even if Real Madrid can score two goals, Arsenal will do everything to stop Real Madrid from scoring a third to equalise.
Let’s also not forget that Arsenal will be trying to score against Madrid to kill the tie.
Thus, Kroos wants Real Madrid to give everything to score the equalizer while closing the back door to avoid conceding more goals. According to Kroos, a fourth goal from Arsenal will kill Real Madrid.
Here’s what Kroos said:
“After 2-0, it looked like all was lost. From my experience, when Real Madrid are losing in a game, there is always a phase in which you have the feeling that a goal was important, but they seemed to be saying, ‘Please don’t let the fourth one come.
“The team has to give its best. And the Bernabeu crowd will be there. We have to press non-stop from the first quarter of an hour.”
There is a belief at Real Madrid that a comeback is possible. But they have to follow their plan and hope it works.