Real Madrid are enjoying a good season so far, despite what should be a disastrous first half to the campaign, given all of the injuries they have suffered. Yet Carlo Ancelotti has been able to guide them through a number of obstacles, and should Girona slip up against Real Betis on Thursday, Los Blancos can finish for the calendar year top of the table. A major reason for that is Toni Kroos.

The German midfielder remains an ever-present in the middle of the pitch, despite the fact he is turning 34 in just a few weeks. It had looked as if Ancelotti might try to go away from the veteran early in the season, as Kroos began on the bench, but it quickly became evident that Real Madrid were much better with him.

As per Diario AS, Ancelotti has on a number of occasions requested that the metronomic Kroos prolong his Real Madrid career an extra year, at least. Last season there was a long saga surrounding his future, after it was revealed early on that he might consider retirement. Kroos has been clear that he wants to go out at the top of the game.

There is no doubt that he remains a starter for Los Blancos as things stand, but if Kroos does want to go out as a first-choice midfielder, next year will be even harder for him to maintain his place. Aurelien Tchouameni, Eduardo Camavinga and Fede Valverde are already champing at the bit for regular minutes. Thus far, none have been able to remove Kroos. Working in his favour is that nobody else in the side can pick holes in the opposition quite like Kroos.