Germans Kroos and Khedira want to shine in final

TONI KROOS and Sami Khedira were key players as Germany won the 2014 World Cup, and now the two midfielders face each other in tomorrow’s Champions League final.

Real Madrid’s Kroos, 27, wants to win the elite trophy for the third time after 2013 with Bayern Munich and 2016 with Real while Khedira, 30, lifted the trophy in 2014 while at Real and now hopes to do it again with Juventus.

Just as in Joachim Loew’s Germany team, both are crucial figures in their clubs, with Kroos hailed for his passing accuracy and Khedira a dedicated workhorse.

Former Barcelona great Xavi recently praised the 76-times capped Kroos as “the engine of Real Madrid,” and Munich chairman Karl-Heinz Rum- menigge is just as impressed with his former player.

“He already was a very important and very good player with us. Now he has turned into a world class player at Real,” Rummenigge said.

Real coach Zinedine Zidane is more than happy with Kroos as well.

“We all love him,” Zidane said, naming him “extraordinary” and an “unbelievably intelligent player.”

Kroos’ influence is not always seen, given the star-studded front line of Cristiano Ronaldo, Karim Benzema and Gareth Bale, but he is more often then not the man who sets them up for goals.

That worked well in Real’s run to this season’s La Liga title and possibly tomorrow in Cardiff against Juve.

Kroos enters the big game with 93% of his passes (764-810) finding a teammate, but he is not taking anything for granted against a rock-solid Juve side.

“There is no magic recipe to win this title. You need a great team and to give the maximum in important matches,” he said.

“It is amazing to win the league, but the Champions League is always special to me. I hope we win two in a row, but we do not need that motivation. We are ready for the final and we have no injuries.”

Kroos and Khedira spent one season together at Real before Khedira moved on to Juventus in 2015.

The 70-times capped Khedira plays a more defensive role at Juve than Kroos at Real, and the German-Tunisian player readily admits that the typical Germanic football virtues such as fighting spirit make him strong.

“Of course everyone rather wants to see tricks and goals. Me too. But you would probably fight relegation with 11 Dybalas,” he said in reference to Juve’s skilful forward Paulo Dybala.

Khedira also recently told Juve’s TV: “I have improved a great deal at Juventus, both tactically and off the field by learning a new mentality and culture.

“The combination of character, quality and creativity is positive for me and that runs through the squad. We are a team that unites psychological and tactical characteristics, capable of defending and attacking, finding the right combinations and pathways.” – dpa