Real Madrid: Toni Kroos has been on another level in the Champions League
Real Madrid center midfielder Toni Kroos has benefited from playing in a more advanced attacking role under Zinedine Zidane, and he’s been the best player at his position in the entire Champions League.
It has been a joy to watch Toni Kroos’ turnaround in form in the 2019-2020 season under Zinedine Zidane, who has used the German international in a more aggressive attacking role in midfield. The result has been arguably the finest season of the experienced midfielder’s career, as Kroos has been peppering goalkeepers with delightful efforts from beyond the box while keeping the team ticking with his usual precise passing.
Kroos has been likened to a human metronome for the consistency of his passing and his ability to dictate Real’s tempo. He is an indispensable player to have in the squad, especially when he’s in this kind of form. When Kroos is playing with Fede Valverde and Casemiro, he is untouchable and can run play in the attacking third.
But where Kroos has truly shined is in the Champions League. The 29-year-old has stepped up his class to a level above everyone else in Europe in this all-important competition.
According to WhoScored.com, Kroos leads all players in the Champions League with a whopping 4.4 key passes per game, which is a full key pass per game higher than second-place Jose Callejon.
Kroos is drawing 1.8 fouls per game with 1.2 dribbles per game in the Champions League. His 2.6 shots per game are second on Los Blancos behind Karim Benzema.
Of course, Kroos’s overall passing statistics are also out of this world. Pep Guardiola‘s new protege, former Atletico Madrid standout Rodrigo, is the only player with more passes than the German’s 86.6 per game. Out of those passes, Kroos is completing 93.3% of them.
But as impressive as Kroos’ offensive statistics are, his defensive contributions deserve a mention. Only Casemiro is averaging more tackles per game in the competition on the team than Kroos’ 2.8, and he’s even averaging 1.4 interceptions per game.
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That type of all-around impact makes him the best overall center midfielder in the competition. Nobody controls games quite like Kroos, whose threat outside the box with his technical ability and deadly accuracy on set pieces add more of a threat. Throw in his relentless pressing in the final third, and you have a player who gives Real Madrid a crucial advantage in any given Champions League contest.
The battle between Guardiola’s midfeld and Zidane’s midfield will be one of the most important and entertaining storylines of the Round of 16. Plenty of attention is afforded to standouts like Kevin de Bruyne and David Silva on the City side, but, statistically, Toni Kroos has lapped them in impact this campaign.