Rafa Benitez admits last season has taken its toll on Toni Kroos but insists the midfielder remains “very important” to Real Madrid.
The German was a virtual ever-present in the middle of the park for Los Blancos during the 2014-15 campaign following injuries to Luka Modric and James Rodriguez for extended periods, and the Coach has made keeping the player “fresh” a priority ahead of Granada this weekend.
“Since I know how important he was for the team last season, as I know how difficult it was for him to work almost alone in midfield, what I want is for him to be kept fresh,” he said at a Press conference.
“Modric and Kroos make a difference when they’re on the pitch. I’ll rotate by making changes in certain positions, but Kroos is very important to us.”
