The situation
Luka Modric (37 years old) has been infected with the famous ‘FIFA virus’. The alerts went off when the Croatian did not jump onto the grass in the first post-break training session. The club detailed that the midfielder had been doing physiotherapy work alone. The reason is an overload on the hip that will take him away from collective work for a week. Lesser evil, since his participation in the Clásico (October 16, 4:15 p.m.) is not in danger and, by the way, he will have a well-deserved truce. In this way, and despite being a minor absence, the tightness of the calendar will prevent the ’10’ from dressing short against Osasuna (Sunday, 9:00 p.m.) and Shakhtar Donetsk (October 5, 9:00 p.m.).From the club it is assumed that he will be ready against Getafe (October 8). The clash against the azulones and the return against the Ukrainian team on the 11th in Warsaw will serve to test the terrain and reach the top against Barcelona. The high load of minutes takes its toll on Modric, boosted to the maximum with his team in search of the Final Four of the Nations League. And it is that, only Tchouameni, Courtois, Lunin (although in three games in his case) and Luka estimated their playing time at 180 during the current break. Of course, at least he achieved the expected prize, since Croatia will share an appointment with Spain, the Netherlands and Italy in June 2023. Added merit in a group where he shared a battle with France (current champion of the competition and of the world) and Denmark ( semi-finalist in the last European Championship). Croatia cannot be understood without its captain and age continues to be no impediment to being the leader day in and day out. The latest sample is the double Croatian victory, against Denmark (2-1) and Austria (1-3), also allowing themselves ‘the luxury’ of opening the scoring against the latter. In fact, without the aim of our protagonist the classification would have been impossible: he also scored against France from a penalty at the Stade de France (0-1) in a match that has been decisive in the group’s evolution. This will allow him to fight for a title with his team, something that resists him after staying with honey on his lips at the World Cup in Russia when he lost the final against the French. Madrid is also not understood without the genius of Zadar, a Modric who does not stop and, thanks to the care with which he takes care of his physique, is managing to fight major mishaps. The club is not worried about this forced interruption, which will allow Ancelotti to have his orchestra director against Barça.
Fireproof
Modric goes step by step and season by season, carefully measuring his steps without rushing, aware that age does not forgive the footballer. A tactic that, so far, has been a complete success. He lives a second eternal youth and, if last year he finished as the seventh player with the most minutes on the white squad, at present he has taken two steps forward and is fifth.Both in the global calculation if only the minutes with Madrid are counted as if his participations with the checkered team are added, leaving the counter at 781 ‘, behind Courtois (990 ‘), Vinicius (884 ‘), Valverde (873 ′) and Alaba (873′). So far he hadn’t missed a game and only came off the bench twice, coming to the rescue against Almería at half-time and playing more than half an hour against Mallorca. The rest, all ownership. Modric has a contract until 2023, but he is indispensable and incombustible. There is a reason why it is proposed to reach the 2024 European Championship…