Furious response to sub: Modric and Ancelotti not on good terms

Luka Modric is not content with his present position in the Real Madrid system under Carlo Ancelotti. The two are not on speaking terms.

Modric has witnessed a marked decline in his playing time as the season has progressed. Instead of starting the Croatian, Ancelotti has chosen to start Kroos, Camavinga, Tchouameni, Valverde, and summer acquisition Bellingham. So far this season, he has only started seven games for Los Blancos across all competitions, as well as appearing in nine substitute appearances.

With their 1-1 road tie against Real Betis, Real Madrid lost ground this past weekend. The fact that Carlo Ancelotti’s squad managed to salvage a draw suggests that they were fortunate. Nonetheless, Girona’s victory against Barcelona gave them the necessary boost to go to the top of the standings.

The way Luka Modric reacted to being replaced was one of the narrative elements that emerged from the match. The choice did not sit well with the iconic Croat. Unlike most games this season, Modric started the match against Betis.

The Italian manager substituted Dani Ceballos for him as the score remained 1-1. The substitution of Modric with 20 minutes remaining infuriated him. However, the 64-year-old maintained his innocence, saying he had not seen the event.

Thus, the subject was brought up after the match with the Real Madrid management. “Luka Modric? I don’t know what happened”, said the experienced Italian.

Why are Ancelotti and Modric not on speaking terms?

Now senior commentator Eduardo Inda of OkDiario has added fuel to the fire with some of his claims. Speaking on El Chiringuito, he has revealed a problematic situation between Luka Modric and the coach, Ancelotti. This issue arose, according to Inda, following a particular incident at the Metropolitano against Atletico Madrid. Inda recalls that Modric was sidelined for two consecutive games as a result.

Davide Ancelotti, the coach’s son, has since then been acting as a mediator to address the conflicts between the two parties. The core of the problem is said to be Modric’s dissatisfaction with his limited playing time. If this persists, the 38-year-old will be considering the possibility of leaving during the winter transfer market.

Despite not being a regular starter for Real Madrid, Modric turned down an offer that was six times more lucrative than his current contract with the club, Inda has suggested. Despite being a substitute, Modric continues to play for Croatia in the lead-up to the Euros in the summer.

He has also emphasized that Modric is unhappy with being either a substitute or not playing at all, especially given his status as a Ballon d’Or winner. This dissatisfaction may prompt him to explore other options in the transfer market.

The battle between experience and youth

It is a new experience for Modric to not be a mainstay in the starting lineup. His playing time has significantly dropped this season, even though he has been a Real Madrid face for many years.

When the January transfer window opens, Modric will be free to negotiate a deal with any team he wants, since his contract with Real Madrid will end in June 2024. However, Real Madrid will most certainly prevent him from leaving in the middle of the season.

However, it’s also simple to put oneself in Ancelotti’s shoes. Modric just turned 38 years old. There was little doubt that he would lose his starting position on the first team at some point. Conversely, Real Madrid now has a fantastic set of youthful midfielders, like Eduardo Camavinga, Jude Bellingham, Aurelien Tchouameni, and Fede Valverde.

PHOTOS: IMAGO.