Speaking on his podcast Einfach mal Luppen, Kroos explained that Barcelona’s defensive setup made little sense given Madrid’s attacking threat, singling out Flick’s centre-back selection as a major flaw.
“In the centre of defence, I don't understand why Garcia is playing,” Kroos said. “Football-wise, he’s slightly better than Araujo, but Araujo has the physical strength to chase down opponents more, especially when you're defending so high up the pitch. He would have been the ideal player for that style of play and that opponent.”
The ex-Los Blancos midfielder went on to emphasise how Barca’s lack of pace at the back played straight into Madrid’s hands. “When you have Mbappe and Vinícius up against you, you need someone who can match that pace,” he added. “Araujo can do that. I was very surprised by his absence.”
“I already mentioned it at the time: Inigo Martinez was very important,” Kroos noted. “Last year, he was Barca's centre-back with the best ball distribution. He wasn’t the fastest, but he was an excellent defender and had great build-up play. Against Real Madrid, his absence was noticeable when the team suffered under their high press. They didn’t replace him, and that’s taking its toll.”
Kroos did, however, acknowledge the difficult circumstances Flick faced on the night, adding: “It’s fair to say that Barça arrived very weakened: from the goalkeeper to the coach. They were missing key players like Raphinha, Dani Olmo and Lewandowski.”
