A REALITY CHECK FOR GERMANS
TONI KROOS returns to his former club tonight, promising to “spoil” the party in Munich.
The Germany midfielder won the Champions League with Bayern five years ago and has added two more to his collection since signing for Real Madrid after lifting the World Cup in 2014.
Now he is back in Munich to stop Jupp Heynckes’ side from reaching the final at the expense of Zinedine Zidane’s all-star line-up.
Kroos, 28, said: “I played under Heynckes myself for a long time and I know he’s a top coach.
“When he came back, he changed the feeling of the whole team. “Since he arrived they’ve played much better, so I think they’re harder to beat than when we played them last season. “Bayern are in slightly better shape compared to last year. They did not have Robert Lewandowski in the first leg, for example, and I get the feeling that this season they are fitter and playing better under Heynckes.
“Heynckes (above) is one of those people who makes everything slot into place. When the atmosphere is good, it brings success. Heynckes is why Bayern are very strong. We are here to spoil the good vibes.”
Real are aiming to become the first team to win the trophy three years running, since Munich did it at Hampden Park in 1976 under Franz Beckenbauer.
And Kroos said that is the kind of pressure Real and Bayern are used to dealing with. He said: “Expectation levels at both clubs are similar – you set out to win every competition.
“Playing in the Champions League is a special motivation for us, as whoever wins in the end can call themselves the best team in Europe. Bayern will be just as hungry as us.
“We want to reach the final – it’s our last chance to win a title this season, as it was two years ago.
“We are highly motivated to defend our title. We know it will be very difficult, but we’ve already beaten Paris Saint-Germain and Juventus on our way here.”