Kroos: Barcelona are the best footballing side but struggle under pressure, and Mourinho surprised us in the clásico

Toni Kroos, the former star of Real Madrid, praised the tactical plan devised by coach José Mourinho during the El Clásico against Barcelona, which ended with a 2-1 victory for the royal team at Spotify Camp Nou. He emphasized that the Catalan team remains the best in terms of style of play, but they struggle when they fail to apply pressure.

Toni Kroos spoke about the moment Barcelona equalized in the match: "When Barcelona equalized, everyone would have accepted a draw."

He added, clarifying the impact of previous encounters on expectations before the match: "Over the past two years, the Clasico matches have been going in Barcelona's direction, and unfortunately, this has happened in the last six or seven Clasico matches, which is what we expected before the match, as Real Madrid has been conceding an average of four goals in each match."

He continued: "I must commend Mourinho's work; they played excellently and presented a great plan. Playing the ball against Barcelona deserves great appreciation, as they struggle when they do not have the ball."

Toni Kroos explained: "Real Madrid and Mourinho were very brave at Camp Nou, and that made a big difference compared to recent Clasico matches. The attackers responded well, and there were periods when they defended well, just as they did after Barcelona scored the equalizer."

Regarding his assessment of the two teams, Kroos said: "Barcelona is the best team in terms of football, as they manage to impose their control more than Real Madrid, but they struggle a lot when their pressing does not succeed."

He added in his analysis of the players' performance: "Real Madrid's players were well-positioned, and I was surprised by the assignment of Hausen to mark Firmin, which caused discomfort for Barcelona's players, such as Pedri and Raphinha, leading them to make mistakes they don't usually make."

Regarding Real Madrid's performance, he said: "Real Madrid won most of the duels because they were stronger and more intense. The whole team defended as a unit and delivered an excellent defensive display when they had the ball."

Speaking about the importance of the victory in the Spanish league race, Kroos said: "We have suffered over the past two years, we have analyzed what happened, and now it is time to enjoy and celebrate."

The German star has revealed his wish regarding the UEFA Champions League this season, stating: "I also do not want Paris Saint-Germain to win their third title in the UEFA Champions League, for certain reasons."