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Evening Standard
Evening Standard
Sport
Ben Hayward

Real Madrid star Toni Kroos tips team-mate Federico Valverde for great future: 'I really love this player'

Toni Kroos says he loves team-mate Federico Valverde and believes the 21-year-old has a great future at Real Madrid.

The Uruguayan has featured in many of Los Blancos' best performances so far this season and impressed again as Zinedine Zidane's side thrashed Galatasaray 6-0 in the Champions League on Wednesday night.

"He has been amazing," Kroos told Standard Sport after that game. "He is on great form. When I speak about Rodrygo and say that he is very clear, I think Fede has been doing this since the first day.

"He’s fighting, he’s helping a lot in defence. He’s not losing balls, he’s very good on the ball. I really love this player.

"To come here is not easy, to play like that, at this age, means he has a lot of quality and I’m pretty sure he will have a great future here. For many, many years."

Valverde's tireless running and ability to win the ball back has given Madrid's midfield added dynamism and Kroos appears to be the biggest beneficiary as it allows him more freedom than when he plays alongside Luka Modric.

"I’m running too," he said, laughing. "I think at the moment, he helps the team a lot. I really love to play with him, but I also love to play with Luka.

"I don’t have to explain this because we did this for many years, and Casemiro… we don’t have to speak about Casemiro and how important he is.

"The coach decides who plays and Fede is doing fantastic."

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