Ancelotti Shares His Thoughts on Whether Bellingham Can Succeed Kroos.
Real Madrid manager Carlo Ancelotti has made it clear that he does not see Jude Bellingham stepping into the exact role that Toni Kroos has played for the team.
Instead, he believes Bellingham is more effective when he is closer to the goal, where he can be a bigger threat in attack.
Ancelotti was sharing his thoughts following Real Madrid’s 0-0 draw against Real Betis, a match that marked the end of the season and was also Toni Kroos’ last league game for Real Madrid.
When asked about who might replace Kroos next season and whether Bellingham would take on that role, Ancelotti provided some insights, saying,
“I don’t think so [that Bellingham would replace Kroos],” explained the manager as quoted by MARCA.
“The closer we have Bellingham to the goal, the better it is for us. There is no player with Kroos’ characteristics on the market, but we have to replace him in another way.
“We have a very high-quality midfielder and we have to adapt next season’s game to his characteristics,” he explained.
A fitting farewell for Kroos
Reflecting on Kroos’ career at Real Madrid, Ancelotti praised the midfielder for his contributions over the past decade.
He noted that the Santiago Bernabeu stadium gave Kroos the farewell he deserved, highlighting how fortunate the club has been to have him on the team for ten years.
“The Bernabeu has given him the farewell he deserves, it has been a very emotional night. We are lucky to enjoy another week with him.
“He has been one of the greatest, a great midfielder, with great quality and a fantastic character, with little ego and who has always played for the team; very generous. We have been lucky to have him for ten years.
“To do better than Kroos has done at this club is very complicated. He has made a very strong decision that no one could have imagined.
He showed a lot of character and to say goodbye like that is great. It is a farewell to a great character that we have been lucky to have him here and soccer has enjoyed a great player,”
Ancelotti also acknowledged that with Kroos leaving, the remaining players will need to step up and take on more responsibility within the locker room. This transition will be important for maintaining the team’s strength and cohesion moving forward.
“At an environmental level, those who are here have to take more responsibility. On a technical level, we will have to see.
“We can think that it can be a more vertical game, with players with more energy and less tempo of play,” admitted the manager.
Additionally, Ancelotti mentioned that Real Madrid are still waiting for decisions from Nacho and Luka Modric regarding their contract extensions.
He added that the team is expecting a reply from them after the UEFA Champions League final on June 1.
