Vinicius Junior and Toni Kroos have complemented each other after their impact in Real Madrid’s 2-2 draw with Bayern Munich in the first leg semi-final of the UEFA Champions League on Tuesday night.
German Kroos set up Brazilian Vinicius nicely with the first goal of the game at the Allianz Arena before Bayern took the lead through former Premier League stars Harry Kane and Leroy Sane.
Vinicius however levelled the game from the penalty spot with seven minutes to go.
Reflecting on Kroos’ impact, Vinicius said: “You have to stay focused for these balls. Kroos always makes things very easy and he set me up for a goal.
“I’m also happy with the team’s defensive work. We have to improve, but if we continue like this we can win at home.
“We train together so much, I know Kroos very well and he knows me very well. I’m delighted to be able to score two goals. Now it’s time for a magical night at home.”
8️⃣ @ToniKroos ✖️ @ViniJr 👏#UCL pic.twitter.com/sAXRj3KfAy
— Real Madrid C.F. 🇬🇧🇺🇸 (@realmadriden) May 1, 2024
Kroos meanwhile said of Vinicius: “ Vini Jr. deserves a lot of credit because he’s the one who showed up for the pass with his movement. He’s done well and because I know him, I know he’s going into space. That space is opened up by Vini Jr. , it was an important run he made.
“Players like him always give you the possibility to make passes. He’s not only quick, he’s also clever and knows how and when to move. He’s done well and it’s his quality to get into space. “It’s difficult to stop him there.”
Real Madrid will hope to make home advantage in the second leg at the Santiago Bernabeu next Wednesday and reach their 18th European final.
