“I still have strength, physique and football to continue in the elite”
MADRID, 28 May. (EUROPA PRESS) –
Real Madrid midfielder Luka Modric has assured that he still sees himself as having “strength, physique and football” to continue playing “in the elite”, and has reiterated his “dream” of retiring in the white team, so he hopes that later of the Champions League final can reach an agreement with the club.
“I have always said that I would like to retire at Real Madrid. When I said that I would like to retire, Real Madrid is what I really want and think. But let’s see what happens, let’s see what happens little by little and hopefully it will happen.” It would be a dream for me to retire in my home, in the club of my life and I hope that happens,” he declared in an interview on COPE’s El Partidazo with Juanma Castaño.
However, he clarified that he “cannot” say anything yet about his future. “What matters now is the Champions League final. You have to be focused on the final and the rest will be known in time. Not everything you want can always happen the way you want,” she said. “At the age I am, I can’t think much ahead. You have to go day by day, week by week and see how I feel, what I can contribute, how I feel physically, mentally. You have to listen to your body and your mind and make some decisions. During the season I didn’t have time to think about what’s going to happen in a year,” he stressed.
Despite that, the Croatian sees himself with “strength” to continue. “I can’t say how long. I have to go little by little, day by day, to see how I feel. Because of how I feel right now, I think I still have strength, physique and football to continue in the elite. There are many who They talk about age and of course it bothers you, because for me the most important thing is what you do on the field,” he said.
“If you see that you can continue at this level and be physically well… Why is Madrid the best club in the world? Because the best always play, not because they are young or old. Nobody can play by decree, they have to play the best. I feel very good, with the strength to continue in the elite. But that can change in six months, I will be the first to say ‘I’m not up for that anymore,'” he continued.
In another vein, Modric spoke about his new role in the team. “You have spent practically your entire career playing as a starter and being a very important player. There are times when you have to face other situations and fight. I am never going to give up and say ‘okay, this situation is like this and I can’t do anything’, on the contrary I had to fight, work even harder and be willing to help the team when they needed me. In every training session and in every game I have given 100% and I didn’t have any problems with the team, with the coach or with anyone. “I think I have been an example in attitude and in every sense,” he said.
Regarding his relationship with coach Carlo Ancelotti, he explained that it has been “more or less good, as always, with a lot of respect.” “Not much has changed. The player who tells you that he is happy when he doesn’t play is lying. We talk. He says that I continue working, fighting, that I am going to play, that I am going to continue being important and I think that has been the case in many matches of this season. I have fought every minute, because I am in the best club in the world, I have been there for 12 years and every time you have to give your best, it doesn’t matter how much you play and what role you have,” he explained.
He also appreciated the departure of Toni Kroos. “When a player says goodbye it is a shame, especially a player like Toni, with whom I have been at Madrid for 10 years and who is one of the players with whom I have enjoyed the most in my career. It is sad, but it is his decision; “He is very calm, at peace with his decision, and we have to respect that. People will not be able to enjoy his football, I’m sure he could give more,” he said.
On the other hand, the white midfielder acknowledged that he is “very much looking forward to another final” and that he is “physically and mentally well.” “For me this final is exactly the same as the others, preparing how I am going to play. If it is not at the beginning it will be later, as I have done this season many times. It is something different that was difficult for me at the beginning to understand and assume this nine role. I have never You can assume it, but I think I have handled it very well and that I have contributed a lot when it was my turn to play,” he said.
“You have to be very careful with the match, because it seems that everyone assumes that we are going to win easily, but that is not the case. Look for example at Leverkusen against Atalanta; everyone thought that Leverkusen was going to win easily and look what happened Borussia Dortmund is a very good team, with very fast, very good players, and we all know how German they are, that they always fight. We have a week to prepare well for the final and play the best game of the year, because only then will we be able to win. another drink,” he warned.
Finally, Modric revealed his candidates for the Ballon d’Or. “I would give it to someone from Madrid. If we win this Champions League, the favorites would be Vini, Jude or Toni, it doesn’t have to be in that order. Due to relationship, closeness and time that we have together and out of friendship, I would like it to be for Toni,” he concluded.