Kroos analyses last Sunday’s Clásico, admitting he expected the trend of recent meetings between the two sides to continue. He also identifies Mourinho as the main architect of Real Madrid’s victory at Camp Nou, which kept Los Blancos’ title hopes alive.

“Over the past two years, the Clásicos had been going Barça’s way. Unfortunately, that was the case in the last six or seven meetings, and that’s what we expected before the match, given that Madrid had conceded an average of four goals in those games. But things have changed, and I have to praise Mourinho’s work. They played exceptionally well, and he set them up brilliantly. Playing out from the back against this Barça side deserves real credit because they struggle when they don’t have possession.”

The German admits he did not expect Madrid to be so brave, both on and off the ball.

“Real Madrid and Mourinho were extremely courageous at Camp Nou, and that was a major difference compared with recent Clásicos. The forwards stepped up. There were also periods when they defended well, such as when Barça equalised. At that point, any of us would have taken the draw. They played very well for 65 minutes.”

Mourinho’s tactics were key to the victory

“Real Madrid’s players were well positioned. I was surprised by Huijsen’s marking of Fermín. Barça players such as Pedri and Raphinha looked uncomfortable and were forced into mistakes they don’t usually make. Madrid won almost every duel because they were more intense. They defended as a unit and put in an excellent performance, both defensively and on the ball.

“Barcelona are the better team in terms of football because they dominate games more than Madrid, but they struggle when their press doesn’t work and they have to defend. Madrid found the solutions to beat them. Barça faced a level of pressure they don’t usually encounter from other teams.”

Kroos also discusses Vinicius’ absence and Mbappé’s importance to Madrid’s attack.

“Vini doesn’t need great technique to hurt opponents. I would have liked to see him against Cancelo, who leaves a lot of space behind him and could have been punished. Vini has to defend like Diomande and Bellingham did. Mbappé or Vinicius are a gift for midfielders. They’re worth their weight in gold because they’re three steps faster than defenders. Arda has a great connection with Mbappé.”

To conclude, the German apologises if his analysis sounds too pro-Madrid, although he believes the club’s supporters deserved to enjoy the victory after several difficult seasons.

“Over the last two years, we suffered and analysed everything, and now it’s time to enjoy ourselves and have fun. By the way, I also don’t want PSG to win their third Champions League title, for certain reasons...”

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