Modric, always operative

In the party of doubtswith Casemiro and Mendy ‘at home’, Kroos covered by endless cotton balls and Mbappé as the unexpected protagonist due to Gueye’s stomp, emerges a certificate: Luka Modric. In the first big test of the year, the Croatian, struggling with the verb to dose, is the insurance that Ancelotti clings to. There are already 36 candles that the one from Zadar blew out on his last birthday and he doesn’t even want to hear about downturns. For CarlettoModric is always operational.

“You can play until you’re 40”, Vlatko Vucetic told AS, and Luka does not want to disprove his personal kinesiologist. With the 82 that he played against Real Sociedad, there are already 2,390 minutes that he has played this season, 67% of the total. Only six companions surpass him And, were it not for several minor mishaps (flu, coronavirus and muscle discomfort), the counter would be higher: only in the resounding thrashing of Mallorca September (6-1), in which Asensio was charged with reason, has been left without jumping into the field being available.

Dynamic and committed, as always, the 10 He has also been decisive when he has looked into the rival area. He has provided six assists, but it is his three goals that have been a burning nail in difficult moments. opened the final of the Super Cup against Athletic, with a hit from the front brand of the house with the interior. The next came against Elche, where he made it 1-2 at the Bernabéu from 11 meters after Benzema had missed a previous penalty. Militao, when the horn sounded, he would rescue a point.

But his masterpiece He did not arrive until Saturday, for beauty, against Real. The teacher did not want to be less than the student and, after tying the Camavinga clash with a sensational left foot, Modric would do the same with his bad leg. He celebrated as the twenty-something who just debuted. And it is that, date of birth apart, the Croatian is a young spirit. Curiously, a duel that served as a comeback rehearsal just when the white team needs to do the same against PSG

Go for the ‘100 club’

If the machada is sealed, Luka will be able to continue his private career by joining the ‘club of 100’. Four Champions, 93 games, 6 goals and 12 assists These are his global numbers, but reaching a hundred games in the top continental competition with the white jersey would place him in a category full of legends: Cristiano Ronaldo (101), Marcelo (101), Roberto Carlos (107), Benzema (117), Sergio Ramos (129), Raúl (130) and Iker Casillas (150). It would not arrive this year, because in the hypothetical case of winning his fifth Orejona I’d leave the counter at 99. It won’t take long to arrive. However, we talk about a footballer who is always operative…