‘We can simply appreciate’… Real Madrid legend Toni Kroos heaps praise on Hansi Flick’s Barcelona | OneFootball

While FC Barcelona may no longer be in the UEFA Champions League, they certainly left their mark. As one of the most outstanding teams in the competition, La Blaugrana managed to showcase their football quality to the world. Even as they bow out of the competition, Barcelona certainly played their hearts out.

Unfortunately, their journey in the competition came to an end at the hands of Inter Milan. An intense and gripping tie, it saw both legs end with a 3-3 score-line during normal time, and it needed extra-time to find a decisive goal that would end the tie in favor of Inter Milan with an aggregate score of 7-6 to the Italian side.

Barcelona earns the praise of a Real Madrid legend

Lamine Yamal in action for Barcelona against Inter Milan. (Photo by Dan Mullan/Getty Images)

Still, in both legs, Barcelona managed to come back from being 2-0 down against a resilient Inter Milan defense, and that showed the world that this Barça team does not go down without a fight. That display of character and determination clearly seems to have won people over, including a certain Real Madrid legend.

Toni Kroos, a man who knows all too well what it is like to play against Barcelona, spoke about the team following their game against Inter Milan. For him, as quoted by Reshad Rahman, Hansi Flick’s team is one that has to be enjoyed and appreciated:

“We can simply appreciate the way Barcelona plays, that’s a fact. In the first leg, they were 2-0 down, and in the second leg, they were also 2-0 down. And usually, against Inter, you can’t come back because they have a very solid defense, but when you see the way Barcelona played, you have to congratulate Hansi Flick and Barcelona for this performance.”

Pedri earned his praise as well

These are certainly big words from a man who has battled against Barcelona while representing Real Madrid for many years. A legend for Los Blancos, but still a person who can appreciate good quality no matter where his allegiance lies.

Even previously, Kroos highlighted how he believed Pedri to be the best player in the world in his own position. Even if this statement did not sit right with fans of Real Madrid and other rival clubs, the German veteran made sure to appreciate the Barcelona player for what he has managed to do this season.