Toni Kroos praised the character Real Madrid showed in the closing minutes of the match against AEK, but also pointed out their defensive problems.
“I saw a fighting spirit from Real Madrid, just like I remember from my time there. They fell behind early and were behind again late in the game, yet they kept pressing, kept believing, and found a way to win. That late goal by Valverde was characteristic of this club’s mentality: never give up until the final whistle. In Europe, especially on the road, this trait often decides matches, and I have to praise the players who demonstrated it,” stressed the German veteran midfielder of “La Reina.”
ΣΧΕΤΙΚΑ ΑΡΘΡΑ
Douvikas explained the… miracle of Como: “We’re hungry for more.”
“At the same time, I have to be honest: conceding two goals to a team like AEK simply isn’t good enough for Real Madrid. It’s a club that should be able to control such matches much more comfortably. The first goal came from a lack of concentration, and the second from a counterattack where the defensive line was too open. We’ve seen similar problems in other games this year—moments when cohesion breaks down and opponents get chances they shouldn’t have.
Courtois made some key saves, but the team as a whole needs to be more consistent, more professional, and more effective defensively. Three points are three points, and the comeback shows that the quality and the right mindset are still there. But if this team wants to go deep in the Champions League, these defensive mistakes against teams we should be dominating have to stop. “The team showed great character, but defensively we still have work to do,” he added.
*photo source: AR
