With the end of his contract approaching in June and his advancing age, uncertainty surrounds the future of Croatian midfielder Luka Modric at Real Madrid, especially after becoming a reserve player in midfield after 12 years of shining for the royal club.
Modric, who is now 38 years old, has started less than half of Los Blancos’ matches this season and has completed a full 90 minutes only 5 times.
The chances of Modric staying at Real Madrid after the summer seem to diminish day by day as the Croatian, who was an undisputed starter for over a decade, finds himself now on the bench in midfield.
It appears that Modric’s role with Los Blancos is dwindling as the 2023-2024 season progresses, with his contract set to expire in June.
During a press conference before the first leg of the UEFA Champions League round of 16 against Liverpool at Anfield last year, Modric stated, “Real Madrid is my club for life. I want to continue because I deserve it, not as a gift. I haven’t received anything in my life, and I won’t start now.”
In that phase, Modric’s contract situation mirrored the current one. With only 4 months left on his deal, his future was uncertain. However, exactly 12 months prior, he was more active in Carlo Ancelotti’s plans.
Modric played 1838 minutes in the early months of the season compared to 1374 minutes this time, a 26% decrease in Real Madrid’s 20-man squad (excluding long-term injury victims like Thibaut Courtois, David Alaba, and Eder Militao).
Modric currently ranks 16th in terms of playing time, with young star Arda Guler (1,184 minutes) likely to surpass him soon as per the current trend.
In the last 3 crucial matches against Atletico Madrid, Girona, and Leipzig, Modric played 15, 20, and 0 minutes respectively, indicating worsening circumstances for the veteran player.
Ancelotti, addressing the issue, stated in a press conference several weeks ago, “If a young player like Arda Guler warms up but doesn’t play, it’s okay. But Modric, who is 39 years old, a 5-time UEFA Champions League winner, a legend. I can’t do that to him.”
Ancelotti acknowledged his mistake regarding Modric’s age and since then hasn’t sent him to warm-up in 4 different games, including the recent one against Leipzig.
It seems that the situation is deteriorating for the experienced player. In the coming months, Modric will have to make a decision regarding the next season himself. However, Ancelotti believes that you have to step down from the top at some point, which could significantly impact Modric, who will have to decide sooner rather than later.
It is logical to assume that the 2018 Ballon d’Or winner will have a reduced role if he stays on for another year, although Modric’s future remains uncertain.
Modric has been at Real Madrid since 2012, winning 23 titles, including 5 UEFA Champions League trophies and 3 La Liga titles.
