The football season is long and tiring. Players toil for months to no end with little room for error, for the calendar shows no respite and does not accommodate room for rest.
It is thus easy to see why bench strength is critical for any team’s success, for they not only cover for injured stars but also aid in regular rotation.
Kroos voices his opinion
Speaking to the media earlier this week (h/t The Madrid Zone), Real Madrid veteran midfield star Toni Kroos explained the importance of bench players giving the example of Brahim Diaz.
“Brahim hardly got any minutes in the first two months of the season and now suddenly he’s playing so much. So normally you would say — Of course he has no rhythm but look he’s playing so well. He delivered the results,” he said, emphasising that match fitness was a myth.
He then went on to add that he was not surprised at the long list of injuries Los Blancos were staring at, saying,
“Long list of injuries at Real Madrid? It somehow does not surprise me. It’s the logical consequence [of too many games and bad scheduling].”
A new role
With the youngsters stepping into the limelight at Real Madrid, veterans including Toni Kroos and Luka Modric now stare a different role in the eye.
The German is no longer the first name on the team sheet but has a vital role as the more experienced legs in midfield. He steers the ship in the middle of the park when awarded a start but plays equally influential spells when asked to provide a cameo.
The German star has made 20 appearances for Los Blancos this season with 13 starts. In that duration, he has scored one goal and provided five assists.