Michel: “Kroos was irreplaceable, but they found Ceballos”
Girona head coach Michel spoke to the media following his team’s 2-0 defeat to Real Madrid at the Santiago Bernabéu.
Girona were unable to overcome a dominant Madrid side, who remain firmly in the hunt for multiple titles this season, and despite not being at their best, comfortable got the job done.
Michel acknowledged the strength of Real Madrid.
"I always see Madrid in good form, they have a great team," he said. "Kroos was irreplaceable, but they found Ceballos, they have Mbappé… Last year I came to win, to make a statement, and they put me in my place. This year, the message was how to defend against this team. We did well at times, but this Real Madrid is fighting for all the titles and it will be very difficult to beat them."
Michel’s comment about Ceballos is interesting. Managing Madrid has been vocal about this in podcasts: Ceballos is Real Madrid’s best ball-progresser this season, as writer Mehedi Hassan also pointed out:
"Ceballos leads LaLiga in passes into the final third, dictating Madrid’s tempo and progression," Mehedi wrote. "Over the last 365 days, he ranks in the 99th percentile for progressive passes, 86th for progressive carries, and 89th for tackles—a profile of a midfielder who not only moves the ball but fights to win it back."