Real Madrid: 5 key players to watch at Manchester City

CM Toni Kroos

Much to the surprise of fans and even Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola, Toni Kroos did not start for Real Madrid in the first leg. Kroos’ passing, finesse shots outside the box, and under-appreciated pressing were missed against the Citizens, who would go on to the win the game 2-1.

Quietly in fine form to close the 2019-2020 La Liga season, Kroos led all players in the league in passing completion percentage and was also the Champions League group stage leader in key passes per game. So in addition to being nearly perfect with his passing, Kroos is also incisive, running counter to the narrative that he only passes sideways. Please do not buy into that narrative.

On Friday night, Kroos will most likely start and could be Real’s counter to Kevin de Bruyne, who has been the undisputed best midfielder in European football this season. (No, it is not, in fact, Liverpool’s great-but-not-elite Jordan Henderson.) Kroos hasn’t been as good as KDB this year, and I won’t make any attempt to argue that. However, Kroos has been one of the top five midfielders in Europe, yet again, even if he’s getting overlooked.

The German international has more than bounced back from his nightmare of a 2018-2019 campaign, and Kroos will be ready to prove to a huge audience that he hasn’t lost a step at all in the middle of Real’s majestic XI.