Real Madrid surprised Barcelona at the Camp Nou with a 1‑1 that left fans and commentators perplexed. Former German midfielder ToniKroos, retired and with the look of an analyst, praised José Mourinho's tactical plan, which allowed the white team to maintain the advantage despite the rival's pressure.
Kroos recalled that in the last six or seven classics, Barcelona had dominated most of the matches, with an average of four goals in favor of the rival. “When Barça tied, we would all have signed the tie,” he stated, pointing out that the surprise of the result was due to the defensive solidity and ball control that Madrid showed. “Barça is the best team in terms of dominance, but they suffer a lot when the pressure doesn't come off,” he added.
The former German international highlighted Mourinho's organization of the game, which according to him “made a great approach.” The plan consisted of playing with the ball against a Barça team that, according to Kroos, “suffers when they don't have the ball.” Madrid, according to the commentator, “defended as a team” and “won almost all the duels” thanks to the intensity of its players. Kroos also mentioned that the positioning of Real's players and Huijsen's marking on Fermín were key points of the performance.
As for the Barça players, Kroos observed that Pedri and Raphinha “felt uncomfortable and made mistakes that they normally don't make.” For its part, Madrid achieved “an excellent match in defense and with the ball”, which allowed the team to maintain the advantage and stay in the fight for the League.
The former player concluded that the result "returns Real Madrid to the fight for the League" and that "in the last two years we have suffered and we have analyzed it, and now it's time to enjoy and have fun." Furthermore, he expressed his desire that PSG not win its third Champions League, although he did not specify the reasons. The match, which ended 1‑1, leaves Madrid with a renewed opportunity in the competition and Barcelona with the need to reevaluate its offensive strategy.