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Former Germany midfielder Sami Khedira recently opened up about his time at Real Madrid and playing alongside Cristiano Ronaldo.
Khedira spent five seasons at Real Madrid after joining them from Stuttgart in the summer of 2010.. He was part of Madrid’s La Decima squad and played an integral part in their run despite suffering an ACL tear at the start of the season.
Khedira started the Champions League final against Atletico Madrid, which Los Blancos eventually won 4-1.
The German told ESPN’s Gab Marcotti and Julien Laurens on the Gab & Juls podcast that he wasn’t fit enough to play. However, then, and current, Real Madrid manager Carlo Ancelotti had little choice as Xabi Alonso was suspended.
Khedira revealed that he had asked Ancelotti not to pick him:
“After the ACL injury, I was not thinking about the the Champions League final. I had just come back, but Carlo Ancelotti told me that I had to play in the final. Xabi Alonso was suspended. I told Carlo, ‘C’mon I may be 60-70% of my level’. And he said, ‘I need you on the pitch.”
The now-retired midfielder also revealed that it was a chat that he had a week before the final with Cristiano Ronaldo that gave him the confidence to play:
"A week before the game I had a shower before training and Cristiano came in and said, ‘Sami we need you.’ ‘I don’t care if you are 70% - we need you on the pitch, you are better than the others. We need you’. That gave me so much confidence, it was so special to hear that from Cristiano."
Sami Khedira lifts lid on inspirational exchange with Cristiano Ronaldo as Manchester United struggles continue
Five-time Ballon d’Or winner Cristiano Ronaldo might go down as the best forward to ever play in the Champions League. The Portuguese has scored a total of 140 UCL goals so far and is still going strong with five goals for the Red Devils this season in the competition.
But Ronaldo has struggled to get the same kind of response from his younger colleagues and has looked extremely frustrated in recent weeks. In the game against Watford, the Portuguese looked a dejected figure, especially in the aftermath of being refused a free-kick by Bruno Fernandes.
Considering the impact that he has had on world-class players in the past, Cristiano Ronaldo is bound to be frustrated and has already been linked with a summer move away. Recent reports of unrest in the dressing room along with Ralf Rangnick’s suspicions on whether the 37-year-old could spearhead the attack next season have also fuelled rumors.
The 1-1 first leg draw against Atletico Madrid means that there is still a glimmer of Champions League hope this season. The second leg is scheduled to be played on Tuesday, March 15. Cristiano Ronaldo will probably consider the season an utter failure unless there is a vast change of fortunes in the coming weeks.
