The retired German star and former Real Madrid player, Toni Kroos, stirred controversy with his comments about Barcelona coach Hans Flick's philosophy regarding discipline within the team, especially concerning lateness to training or meetings.

In statements reported by the media, Kroos commented on Flick's strict approach, which penalizes late players by placing them on the bench, saying: "At Real Madrid, they would laugh at that. Often, you wouldn't know who was late, was it the player or the coach?"

Kroos added in his talk: "They are different philosophies. Both are good, but we can say that Flick's philosophy is more traditional and systematic."

Kroos had left Real Madrid at the end of last season, concluding a career filled with successes and titles with the royal team.