The Champions League final is long history, but Toni Kroos’ unsuccessful interview after the end of the game continues to make waves. In his podcast, Kroos has now spoken again and justified his behavior.
Toni Kroos sees nothing wrong in breaking off his interview with ZDF reporter Nils Kaben after winning the Champions League. “I was only annoyed at the moment, I was also more annoyed with himself. But directly like this: ‘Yes, I want to hear that you won undeservedly.’ I don’t give a damn in the final, you have to win that Finale,” said Real Madrid’s midfield strategist in Tuesday evening’s new episode of the joint podcast “Einfach mal Luppen” with his brother Felix.
Kroos abruptly ended the interview on Saturday evening after the 1-0 win against Liverpool. “You had 90 minutes to think of sensible questions and then you ask me two shitty questions,” replied the 2014 world champion shortly after the game. The 32-year-old was asked whether it was surprising that Real had come under so much pressure in the final at the Stade de France in Paris.
“Of course we had to get through two or three pressure phases, but I said that’s normal, what do you expect. That we dominate Liverpool for 90 minutes? This is a world-class team, you just have to beat them, we did that.” said Kroos.
Kaben could also have asked in the interview, “How did you see the game itself? I wouldn’t have said we played it against the wall. I’m the first to say it’s balanced, maybe even a few more chances Liverpool. But we just won it, like the last knockout rounds. He would have gotten his answer there,” said Kroos.
Kaben had previously admitted that he could have phrased a question “clearly” better. “Kroos could have used the question as a template to point out that Real had always saved themselves in difficult situations throughout the competition,” said Kaben in an interview with “Spiegel” on Monday. After consultation with colleagues, however, it was “very clear that you shouldn’t behave like this as a player”. It is not possible to turn a factual question about the course of the game into something personal, says Kaben in the interview.
He knows Kroos differently, but also expects respect the other way around, said Kaben. “At best, it was a misunderstanding with a lot of adrenaline,” the 54-year-old continued. He does not expect the incident to have any further consequences for the relationship. “I think Toni Kroos and I will exchange three sentences the next time we meet. And then it’s good again.”
