CM Toni Kroos
After struggling in the first leg against Manchester City and not showing his best level in the quarterfinals vs. Chelsea, Toni Kroos quieted the haters with a classy display against Manchester City in the second leg.
Kroos was not necessarily dominant, but he did not need to be. He did so much off the ball and in terms of circulating play so that Real were never controlled by Guardiola’s men. The No. 8 completed a touch over 90 percent of his passes before being subbed off.
Rating: 7.0
DM Casemiro
Real Madrid fans knew Casemiro’s return would be huge in turning the tide of this tie, and the Brazilian defensive midfielder was indeed absolutely vital.
Casemiro made so many game-saving tackles and interventions, walking the fine line of bookings with Daniele Orsato like the wily veteran he is. The No. 6 was much, much more composed on the ball than in previous games, completing nearly 90 percent of his passes and avoiding being the weak link against City. He even made some nifty dribbles in tight spaces.
Rating: 7.5
CM Luka Modric
It was a surprise to see Luka Modric taken out early, along with the rest of KCM, but he was also fantastic. Just like in the first leg, Modric was unplayable at times, blowing by defenders and pulling the strings in midfield for Los Blancos. Modric is still one of the absolute best midfielders in the world, and this performance was another example of that. In the first half, he was a big reason why Real were outplaying City and creating more chances.
Rating: 8.0
CM Eduardo Camavinga
One of the two Man of the Match candidates for Real Madrid, Eduardo Camavinga showed that Los Blancos can already compete at the highest level without KCM. Camavinga was signed for just 30 million euros this past summer, and his signing already seems like an even bigger steal than it was at the time.
Real Madrid would not have won this game without Camavinga, just as was the case against Chelsea in the second leg. Camavinga was dominant in the extra time period, showing more composure and energy than everyone else. He is only 19, but he plays like someone who has been world-class at the Bernabeu for a decade. His ball-carrying and ball-winning were supremely good.
Rating: 9.0