Syndicated reporting provided by Stats Perform and reviewed by the SoccerNews editorial team.
Davide Ancelotti believes Real Madrid’s struggles in recent seasons have stemmed from the retirement of midfielder Toni Kroos.
Kroos spent 10 seasons with Madrid after joining from Bayern Munich, winning four LaLiga titles and five Champions Leagues among 22 trophies during his time in the Spanish capital.
He made 465 appearances for Los Blancos, scoring 28 goals and providing 93 assists while forming a formidable midfield partnership with Luka Modric and Casemiro.
Madrid have failed to win any major silverware across the last two seasons under Carlo Ancelotti, Xabi Alonso and Alvaro Arbeloa, with Jose Mourinho now at the helm to try and change things.
Lille boss Davide Ancelotti, who formerly served as Madrid’s assistant, insisted trying to replace someone like Kroos would be a mistake for Los Blancos.
“I don’t want everything I say about Madrid to be interpreted as criticism, but when Modric or Kroos were there, every movement into space was followed by a ball arriving there,” he told AS.
Friday at the office! pic.twitter.com/3yn8oAE8p3
— Real Madrid C.F. (@realmadriden) October 2, 2026
“I’m not saying that the footballers they have now don’t have that ability. What I’m saying is that, to play vertically, you need someone who knows how to deliver the ball.
“Being vertical doesn’t mean having eight runners. It also means having someone who can launch them. It’s a style of play.
“You lose something that you will never get back. The best player in the world in his position. You can’t say, ‘I need another Kroos,’ because there isn’t another one.
“He was the owner of the match. He controlled the tempo. The game was played at the rhythm he wanted. He decided things, and he was fundamental because he managed the pace of the match.
“Inevitably, for the way Real Madrid played, losing Toni was extremely difficult. Suddenly, they lost so many things.”
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