This summer, unlike many other already veteran players who have proven themselves in Europe, Luka Modric decided to stay rather than try a slightly more exotic challenge, such as the Saudi Pro League or MLS. A choice welcomed by Madrid supporters, aware of the importance of the Croatian for the team. Especially since, despite already advanced age, the former Tottenham had proven to still have something under the hood. Certainly, he was often rested in the slightly less important matches in La Liga, but he had, for example, played 10 Champions League matches, including 9 as a starter. In the league, he made 33 appearances in total, 19 of which he started. All while clearly being on level.
This season, we expected to see him in a similar role, for what was normally his last dance under the merengue tunic. An indisputable starting role in big matches and rest in less crucial matches, in order to continue this generational transition smoothly, and definitively hand over the keys to the truck to Camavinga, Tchouaméni or Bellingham at the very end of the season. But everything does not go as planned. Luka Modric must ultimately be satisfied with the crumbs. The one who has a total of 6 appearances in La Liga (including 2 starts) thus started on the bench during his team’s big duels, like the trip against Athletic at the opening of La Liga, the clash against Real Sociedad or this week’s match against Naples. Against the then leader Girona, he did not even play a single minute! Against Atlético, during the derby, he came off at half-time against the dominant Colchoneros, and it had already caused a stir, since it is very unusual for a player of this caliber to come off at half-time…
The competition is tough
A treatment that many consider unfair. “Something is happening with Modric”explained for example Marca after Ancelotti did not play the Croatian against Las Palmas and Girona. “I have the feeling that since the start of the season, we have been trying to sell that Modric has lowered his physical level significantly and that there is nothing left of the spectacular player who was the guide of his team and the Croatia last year, playing a lot of games and overtime. That he lost so much physique in just 3 months… This is the kind of information that I think is filtered by the club and that I find hard to believe. Plus, he trains well.”explained the journalist Antonio Romero on the Cadena SER. On TV sets, this affair caused a lot of reaction, between pro-Modric who believe that he remains the best midfielder in the team, and others who want to make way for the young guard. Is Modric boycotted? And if so, for what purpose? Difficult to find a coherent explanation, for a 38-year-old player who has never posed a problem and who we know is living his last months at the club. But how can we explain this sidelining? Especially this season, Carlo Ancelotti is lining up a 4-4-2 diamond which offers an additional place in the middle. “Modric? There are 7 players for 4 places »he explained recently at a press conference.
In addition to the physical argument – which is therefore contested by many of the club’s followers – there is competition. Indeed, a place has become available, but Bellingham is already untouchable. Certainly, he plays a little higher than where Luka Modric usually plays, but his role is similar to that of the Croatian, namely to be the playmaker and technical leader of the team. Behind, Fede Valverde establishes himself as an indisputable other, while Aurélien Tchouaméni begins to convince everyone. As for Toni Kroos, he started the season in the dark a bit like Modric, but the German has returned to his usual stripes in recent weeks. Camavinga has been temporarily used on the left in defense for two games, as was the case last season and is therefore not really a competitor for Modric currently. It remains to be seen what the main person concerned thinks of his situation, he who is always very discreet in the media. But in Spain, the Modric case continues to make people talk and the noise around the Croatian will continue to grow if Ancelotti continues to leave him on the bench…
