Kroos: I´m not scared of Bayern Munich

Real Madrid midfielder Toni Kroos insists he is not afraid of facing former club Bayern Munich in the Champions League quarter-finals.

The holders dispatched Napoli 6-2 on aggregate to book their place in the last eight for the seventh season in succession.

They will meet Bayern – coached by former Madrid boss Carlo Ancelotti – in the tie next month, with the Bundesliga leaders having destroyed Arsenal 10-2 across two legs to keep their hopes of a treble alive.

Bayern have won 11 out of 13 games since the turn of the year and all of their last six, but Kroos – who left the Allianz Arena for Madrid in 2014 – is relishing the meeting.

“I’m not scared of Bayern Munich,” the Germany international told Faz Sport. “If you want to win the Champions League, you have to beat Bayern or Barcelona anyway.

“I’ve always liked big challenges in football and playing against the best.”

Kroos admitted that the Madrid players were deeply disappointed when Ancelotti left Santiago Bernabeu in 2015 but praised Zinedine Zidane for effortlessly instilling a winning mentality into the dressing room.

“Zidane transmits a very clear idea to the players,” Kroos said. “He doesn’t need to give a 20-minute motivational talk, he doesn’t need it.

“With his presence alone he achieves what he wants – his personality is synonymous with success.

“Ancelotti speaks a lot with his players, creates a very close-knit atmosphere and the Real Madrid dressing room was very sad when he left.”