Toni Kroos reflects on Real Madrid’s painful night against Arsenal – ‘Looked like all was lost’ | OneFootball

Toni Kroos has never been one to sugarcoat his opinions, and following Real Madrid’s crushing 0-3 defeat to Arsenal in the first leg of the UEFA Champions League quarter-finals, the German legend did not hold back.

His brutally honest assessment reflects not just disappointment but concern about a team that, for the first time in a long while, seemed to lose its identity on the biggest stage.

Speaking candidly, Kroos expressed his disbelief at the team’s lack of reaction during key moments of the match.

“After 2-0, it looked like all was lost,” he admitted, recalling a moment that no Real Madrid fan is accustomed to seeing.

For a club whose DNA is rooted in comebacks and fighting spirit — especially in Europe — the sense of resignation he observed was deeply alarming.

“From my experience, when Real Madrid are losing in a game, there is always a phase in which you have the feeling that a goal can be scored,” he noted.

Real Madrid’s mental collapse

Real Madrid were humiliated by Arsenal. (Photo by Justin Setterfield/Getty Images)

He went on to describe what he saw as a mental collapse, saying, “After each goal I missed that reaction. Scoring a goal was important, but they seemed to be saying ‘please don’t let the fourth one come’.”

These words paint a picture of a team overwhelmed not just tactically but psychologically — something rarely associated with Real Madrid in the Champions League.

And yet, despite the embarrassment at the Emirates Stadium, Kroos is not writing off his side just yet.

The midfield maestro, who has seen it all at the highest level, pointed to the importance of the Santiago Bernabeu atmosphere in potentially turning the tie around.

“The team has to give its best. And the Bernabeu crowd will be there. We have to press non-stop from the first quarter of an hour,” he urged.

It is a call to arms — not just for the players on the pitch, but for the fans, the coaching staff, and the entire club.

Real Madrid have delivered miraculous turnarounds at home before, but the question is whether this group still has the belief, the character, and the ambition to do it again.

Source: SPORT