Croatian veteran midfielder Luka Modric didn’t shy away after the final whistle following Real Madrid’s latest setback against AC Milan in the Champions League this Tuesday. With Carlo Ancelotti’s team seemingly completely lost, the 39-year-old player clearly outlined the path forward.
Another nightmarish week for Madrid fans in Spain and around the world. In a rough patch since the 4-0 defeat to Barça at the Santiago Bernabéu on 26 October, Real Madrid fell again this Tuesday to AC Milan, losing 3-1. Despite the presence of stars like Kylian Mbappé (criticised after the match by Thierry Henry), Vinicius Junior, and Federico Valverde, Carlo Ancelotti’s team crumbled. Completely overwhelmed, Luka Modric even left the pitch in the second half.
Modric confirms the struggle
Despite the exit of the only player reportedly capable of mentoring the younger players, according to Karim Benzema, the result did not change in favour of Madrid. After the final whistle of this bitter defeat, Luka Modric spoke to UEFA’s official channel to discuss what went wrong. Speaking candidly, the 39-year-old admits that his team is facing major difficulties.
“Another disappointing evening for us. It’s hard to assess the match. We didn’t play well, and Milan were the better team. We had some moments where we played well, but it wasn’t our best performance,” said the Real Madrid and Croatian national team captain. While some commentators are highlighting serious defensive issues, Modric places the entire team in the same boat.
“We are divided on the pitch”
Noting that this situation isn’t new for him at Real Madrid, the former Tottenham player emphasised the importance of team cohesion. “It’s not just one area of the team; it’s a collective issue. We need to be better as a team, more united on the pitch, and try to find solutions because, at the moment, we’re divided on the field. We need to return to the main strength we’ve had all these years,” he said, before focusing on collective effort.
“We need to stay united and try to fix what we’re doing wrong. I’ve been here for 12 years, and it’s not the first time I’ve seen this situation. Quality alone isn’t enough; we need to work more as a team—it will make things easier for us. I’m sure we’ll rise again.” The message has been delivered. At a time when criticism mounts over Carlo Ancelotti’s ability to get the best out of this frustrated team, there are questions about whether the long-sought cohesion will come any time soon.
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