Die Mannschaft started their European Championship preparations in Ascona on Tuesday, but Joachim Löw has been unable to call on his entire provisional squad. Toni Kroos, Germany's midfield strategist, has a good excuse to be absent though; he’s in the Real Madrid squad for tonight’s Champions League final.
The face city rivals Atlético in Milan's Giuseppe-Meazza Stadium at 20:45 CEST. The sides also met in the 2014 final, which real won 4-1 after extra time. At that time Kroos was still employed at FC Bayern München but after winning the World Cup in Brazil he signed a deal with Real. The midfielder was still contracted to Bayern when they lifted the title in 2013 but injury prevented him from featuring in the game.
He’s looking forward to this year’s showpiece, explaining that "there is no bigger game in club football than the Champions League final." If Real win tonight he will become the first German player to win the trophy with two different clubs. "There is a lot at stake for us, because this is our last chance to win a trophy this year," he added.
Kroos has impressed in Europe again this season. 94.7 percent of his passes find a team mate – more than any other player. He doesn’t just play simple, short passes either - pin-point diagonal balls out to the wings have become a trademark of the 26-year-old. "Rarely have I seen a football player with such passing accuracy and with so much precision in his game," former coach Jupp Heynckes told kicker.
He has played 554 passes in the opponent’s half this season – a tournament high and only Philipp Lahm has touched the ball more often than Kroos (1,083). "He can keep the ball even under extreme pressure. He has a great overview of the game, is calm on the ball and never gets nervous," continued Heynckes. "He is not overawed by anything or anyone."
If everything goes to play, the 64-time Germany international will collect another title before he links up with Die Mannschaft and if that happens, maybe he’ll be able to take that momentum all the way into the final in Paris.
Die Mannschaft started their European Championship preparations in Ascona on Tuesday, but Joachim Löw has been unable to call on his entire provisional squad. Toni Kroos, Germany's midfield strategist, has a good excuse to be absent though; he’s in the Real Madrid squad for tonight’s Champions League final.
The face city rivals Atlético in Milan's Giuseppe-Meazza Stadium at 20:45 CEST. The sides also met in the 2014 final, which real won 4-1 after extra time. At that time Kroos was still employed at FC Bayern München but after winning the World Cup in Brazil he signed a deal with Real. The midfielder was still contracted to Bayern when they lifted the title in 2013 but injury prevented him from featuring in the game.
He’s looking forward to this year’s showpiece, explaining that "there is no bigger game in club football than the Champions League final." If Real win tonight he will become the first German player to win the trophy with two different clubs. "There is a lot at stake for us, because this is our last chance to win a trophy this year," he added.
Kroos has impressed in Europe again this season. 94.7 percent of his passes find a team mate – more than any other player. He doesn’t just play simple, short passes either - pin-point diagonal balls out to the wings have become a trademark of the 26-year-old. "Rarely have I seen a football player with such passing accuracy and with so much precision in his game," former coach Jupp Heynckes told kicker.
He has played 554 passes in the opponent’s half this season – a tournament high and only Philipp Lahm has touched the ball more often than Kroos (1,083). "He can keep the ball even under extreme pressure. He has a great overview of the game, is calm on the ball and never gets nervous," continued Heynckes. "He is not overawed by anything or anyone."
If everything goes to play, the 64-time Germany international will collect another title before he links up with Die Mannschaft and if that happens, maybe he’ll be able to take that momentum all the way into the final in Paris.
