Kroos and Scariolo, protagonists on the third day of White Week

Toni Kroos and Sergio Scariolo were the main figures on the third day of White Week at the Real Madrid Graduate School - Universidad Europea, held at the auditorium of Ciudad Real Madrid and moderated by Emilio Butragueño, the club’s Director of Institutional Relations. The madridista legend, who won 23 titles in 10 years at the club, including 5 Champions League trophies, and was a world champion with Germany, said: “I retired because I never wanted to reach the point where I didn’t feel as good and started having physical issues. The feeling with the ball never leaves me; I still have it.”

“I always knew I wanted to leave as I deserved, as the club deserved, and as I wanted the fans to remember me, because the last image is very important to me. I’m very happy with this decision; it happened exactly as I wanted. I couldn’t plan on winning the Champions League because I had decided before. In the end, everything worked out so well, with the Champions League and La Liga, it couldn’t have been better.”

Perception of Real Madrid
“After so much time here, I can say it is a very human club, very family-oriented on the inside. And this always starts from the top. How Florentino Pérez welcomed me from day one, how he has always spoken to me… But not just to me, every time he visits the dressing room. It’s something you can also notice from the outside. He conveys something very human, and I’ve always valued this greatly about the club. I’ve lived in many different dressing rooms here; many players have left and others have arrived, but this hasn’t changed. I’ve felt very comfortable within this club, very protected during difficult moments, because we’ve had those too. And this has made it special as well. That’s why this ending, because I wanted to say goodbye at the top.”

The success of Real Madrid's three consecutive Champions League wins
“We were a team, not 20 friends. There were many great players, but we understood that when the referee blew the whistle, we all wanted the same thing. We all wanted to win, and this was the key. We were also very good; if you’re a bad team, you don’t win Champions League titles.”

The demands at Real Madrid
“I had hunger until the end. Plus, when you win the Champions League, the next day the president says, ‘Let’s go for the next one.’ You can enjoy it for a few hours until the next day, when you hear from the president: ‘Very good, and we’ll see each other here again next year, in the same place and with the same trophy.’ This may seem trivial, but it doesn’t let you relax. At this club, you always have in your mind: ‘Champions, Champions, Champions.’”

Magical nights at the Bernabéu
“This isn’t possible in many stadiums. It generates a strength that boosts the team and drains the opponent. There have been comebacks against teams that you think are very stable and good. The Bernabéu has helped us a lot there. What makes the Bernabéu special is that it only needs a moment to change the scenario. Opponents think they don’t want to play. The team has grown a lot because it knows how to play with this, and there have been big opponents who couldn’t string together three consecutive passes.”

The recent tie against Manchester City
“The team has been able to raise its level, adapting to the opponent and the importance of the match. They’ve played two very good games. At home, the number 8 helped us a lot, whom I like a lot. Now the Germans are coming.”

Scariolo: “Real Madrid’s structure is, by far, one of the best in the world”
The head coach of the Real Madrid basketball team, winner of a league title with our team, world champion, and four-time European champion with Spain, opened the session by discussing his return to the madridista bench: “There was something a bit special, a bond with the president that had lasted many years, an emotional connection, above all. On a professional level, I had the desire to test myself again on a daily basis with a demanding club with great aspirations. I liked the idea of stepping out of my comfort zone.”

Competing with such a demanding schedule
“We’re in the middle of a cycle of five games in nine days, to put it into perspective. You need a club with a structure that works, like Real Madrid’s, which is, by far, one of the best in the world.”

“Over the years, you have to develop a capacity to organize. Almost anything can be achieved if there’s organization and discipline, and my experience in the NBA has been very helpful in that. The idea of making the team function without overloading but still training.”

The importance of the coaching staff’s role
“Being at this club allows you to rely on qualified professionals, most of whom you haven’t chosen yourself. Last summer, there was a very profound change in the structure of the section in many ways. There has been a lot of change, and like all changes, it takes time to digest and harmonize all the talents present.”

His NBA experience
“You have to learn from the NBA, and the NBA has to learn from Europe. I’ve learned many things, and if I had to choose one, it’s how to manage a team during a season with so many games and such intensity. That balance between training without overloading the players. Trying to find a way for the team to grow without increasing the risk of injury that the competition itself presents.”

Other contributions
The third day of White Week also featured the participation of Héctor Argüelles, Director of Business Operations for Europe and the Middle East at the NBA, who spoke about The NBA in Europe; and Víctor Alfaro, CEO of Podoactiva and podiatrist for Real Madrid's First Team, whose presentation was titled It All Begins with a Step.

 

Disclaimer: Translation generated by artificial intelligence. It may contain inaccuracies.