Toni Kroos says everyone at the club was sad to see Carlo Ancelotti leave Real Madrid last summer, including the players who did not feature much under him.
The German was quizzed in an interview with Die Zeit about the managers he has played for during his career. And he only had words of praise for the Italian.
Ancelotti spent two years in the dugout at the Santiago Bernabeu. In his first season, Real won the Champions League and Copa del Rey. Despite picking up two more trophies in his second term – the European Super Cup and World Club Cup – Ancelotti was dismissed for failing to land one of the bigger honours last season.
Kroos stated: “He was able to mix the success factors the best: The tactical idea, the human component, which especially at Real Madrid is not easy. When he left everyone was sad. Also those who did not play and could have had every reason to criticise him for that. Not a single negative word was said. That’s extraordinary.”
The World Cup winner was damning in his verdict of Jurgen Klinsmann, the former striker now in charge of the US but who managed Kroos at Bayern Munich.
He said: “During his time at Bayern I personally missed everything: An idea of how to play football, adequate communication — and success.”
And he praised current Bayern boss Pep Guadiola, who he played under for one season for at the Allianz Arena.
“He has been the best coach I’ve ever had in terms of his idea of football, the plan on how to play an opponent, and how to present solutions to his own team.”
