“Only made it worse”: Kroos criticises Dortmund star Schlotterbeck | OneFootball

Borussia Dortmund loses the top match against Bayern Munich – and Nico Schlotterbeck faces criticism afterward. Former World Champion Toni Kroos has clear words for several scenes involving the BVB defender.

Borussia Dortmund's 2-3 defeat in the top match against FC Bayern Munich has sparked numerous discussions in the football community. BVB defender Nico Schlotterbeck is particularly at the center of criticism. Former national player Toni Kroos also had strong words for the defender's performance.

In his podcast Einfach mal Luppen, the 2014 World Champion closely examined a scene from the second half. Schlotterbeck had brought down Bayern's Josip Stanišić in his own penalty area, causing a penalty. For Kroos, the situation was clear: “That was not a smart move by Schlotterbeck.”

The former midfielder sees a problem mainly in the decision-making of the Dortmund defender. Especially in the penalty area, a player must recognize when a duel can no longer be won. “If I realize that I am outplayed in the box and can't get there, I have to accept it,” Kroos explained.

Despite Criticism: Kroos Praises BVB Star Schlotterbeck's Quality

Instead, Schlotterbeck only “made the situation worse” by giving Bayern an “even better chance to score” with his foul after losing the duel. His brother Felix Kroos, who co-hosts the podcast with him, also pointed out other critical scenes in the game.

Photo: IMAGO

Already in the early stages, Schlotterbeck was lucky not to be penalized earlier. After a duel with Serge Gnabry, Felix Kroos noted, “a penalty could have been given there.” Another hard tackle by the BVB player against Stanišić also caused discussions. While the referee only showed a yellow card, Toni Kroos had a much stricter opinion: “For me, it's a red card.”

Despite the strong criticism, the former Real Madrid star did not want to question Schlotterbeck's fundamental quality. The 26-year-old still has great potential and is considered one of the best in his field by Kroos. “Schlotterbeck is a top central defender for me,” Kroos stated clearly.

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇩🇪 here.