Real Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti confirmed that Croatian Luka Modric and German Toni Kroos, the club’s duo, understand the need to renew the team’s midfield, after they sat on the bench at the start of the Athletic Bilbao match last week.
Modric and Kroos entered the field in the final minutes of the match, which ended with Real Madrid’s 2-0 victory over its Basque host last Sunday, in the Spanish League, where the meeting witnessed the veteran German midfielder scoring the second goal with a long-range missile, to ensure that the team got the three points. .
Modric was present in Real Madrid’s starting list in 17 matches in all competitions during the current season, to become behind Eduardo Camavinga (27 matches), Federico Valverde (24 matches), Toni Kroos (21 matches) and Aurelien Chuamini (18 matches).
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???? Call the engineer @ToniKroos.@LaLigaArab | #LaLigaHighlights pic.twitter.com/BroQWJaNJg– Real Madrid (@realmadridarab) January 24, 2023
Speaking before the upcoming match for Real against its guest and arch-neighbor Atletico Madrid in the quarter-finals of the King’s Cup tomorrow, Thursday, Ancelotti said that the veteran players in his team understand the nature of the transitional period that the team is currently going through.
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— Real Madrid CF ???????????????? (@realmadriden) January 25, 2023
Ancelotti spoke about Modric and Kroos, saying, “They are professionals and realize the quality of this team. I don’t need to explain why they don’t play. They understand that very well. We talked about them in the pre-season. Now it is a transitional period for this team.”
“The experienced players should understand it and the young players should be patient. This was the key to success in the team, they are all excited,” the Real Madrid coach explained.
“They (Modric and Kroos) can still play together, I have no doubt. They have contributed a lot and will continue to contribute during this season, and they are always decisive,” Ancelotti stressed.
Ancelotti has not yet decided on the players who will start the Atletico match. When asked about possible changes in the midfield, the Italian coach said, “It may be part of the rotation that we have to do in this match. Tomorrow we have to push the best possible formation, and that is what We’ll try to do it.”
The last meeting between the two teams, which ended with Real Madrid’s 2-1 victory over Atletico at the Civitas Metropolitano stadium last September, was marred by racist abuse directed at the Brazilian Vinicius Junior, the white team player.
☑ Valuable victory for Real Madrid against Athletic Bilbao.
☑ A duo signed by Karim Benzema and Toni Kroos.
☑ The royal occupies a recipe #LaLigaSantander With 41 points.⏯️????⚽ Watch the match summary#AthleticRealMadrid 0-2#LaLigaHighlights pic.twitter.com/KSoQOJl1pZ
— LaLiga (@LaLigaArab) January 22, 2023
Vinicius faced many violent tackles by Bilbao players in the last meeting, which prompted Ancelotti to express his desire for his player to have greater physical and mental protection.
Ancelotti spoke in this regard, saying, “It is a topic we focus on. The player is in good physical condition and you have to protect him mentally.”
“It is very important,” Ancelotti said. “Football needs Vinicius, who has an extraordinary talent. You have to protect the physical and mental aspects. He is very motivated and eager to participate.”
Meanwhile, with reports continuing to indicate Ancelotti’s candidacy to coach Vinicius in the Brazil national team, the Italian said that he had not received any offer from the Latin national team’s management for the vacant coaching position since the World Cup finals in Qatar last month.
“So far, we have not been in contact. If at any time this contact occurs, I will inform you about it,” Ancelotti said.