Toni Kroos insists he is relishing a challenging 2018 ahead as Real Madrid look to claw back La Liga leaders Barcelona and emulate a record haul of five trophies in 2017.
Los Blancos are ending the year in style – lifting the FIFA Club World Cup title in Abu Dhabi on Saturday seeing them claim a quintuple of silverware for the first time in a calendar year.
Domestically though, Real are eight points behind leaders Barca, down in fourth place. But history was made at Zayed Sports City Stadium, as Real drew level on three Club World Cup titles with the Blaugrana – the famed Spanish rivals jointly hold the most.
In addition, Madrid became the first club to retain the trophy in its current guise.
Adding the Club World Cup to the Champions League, La Liga, UEFA Super Cup and Spanish Super Cup provides a boost as Real head into the first Clasico clash of the season with Barca on Saturday hoping to reduce the gap – although Germany midfielder Kroos claims he and his colleagues need no special motivation for a “special” game.
“For this game (Clasico) you don’t need anything before, any special motivation,” he said when asked after Saturday’s 1-0 win in the final over Copa Libertadores champions Gremio of the importance of the win heading into the Barca clash.
“It’s better of course to go back to Madrid with a good feeling, but this game is special, whatever happened before.”
Pressed on pursuing Barca in the new year and looking ahead to a mouthwatering Champions League last 16 tie with French giants Paris Saint-Germain in February, the 2014 World Cup winner added: “The secret to more success next year is motivation and hunger.
“We are a little bit behind in the league and maybe we can close the gap in a few days, but we will still be behind so it will be difficult to win the league. But we will try, for sure.
“We have the next round of the Champions League too, which is 50/50, so it will be difficult. We won it back to back but it’s never easy to do. But we will try. That’s all we can do.
“(I’m looking forward to facing PSG) because the experience from the past year is you have to beat the best to win this competition.
“We did last year. We played Bayern (Munich), Atletico Madrid, Juventus, who put out Barcelona. You need to play the best and the best is always a challenge, and I like that.”
Kroos revealed victory in the Emirates was the easiest of the five accolades earned by mighty Madrid this year, but he said glory in the toughest competition, their arduous road to Champions League triumph, led them to the UAE.
“It’s been a special year. Five trophies is crazy. It means a lot because we represent the club and it’s great if you do it in a good way,” said the 27-year-old.
“Maybe at the end you can say this is the easiest title to win, the biggest challenge is to arrive here because you have to win the Champions League.
“At the end of the year though it’s never easy because you have a long trip here, an important game, and the ones beforehand. As always, when you win another trophy, it’s always special.”
Real claimed back to back Club World Cup titles thanks to talisman Cristiano Ronaldo’s sole goal in the capital – a thumping free-kick eight minutes into the second half.
The goal created further history for the Portuguese powerhouse, who stretched his lead at the top of the competition’s highest ever scorers.
Ronaldo, 32, has seven goals in eight Club World Cup matches – two more than Barca duo Luis Suarez and Lionel Messi, and Monterrey’s Cesar Delgado.
Ronaldo was criticised by Argentine great Maradona and even Gremio coach Renato Portaluppi leading into the Club World Cup – ex-Brazil international Portaluppi claiming the five-time Balon d’Or winner was not a better player than him.
But Kroos laughed off criticism of his teammate.
“I don’t know what they said but this is good for the press,” said Kroos.
“At the end we know on the pitch he tries to help us and score. He did this in both matches and we don’t need to speak about how important he is for us.”
