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Modric: La Liga can cope without Leo
2020-09-04 
Luka Modric played a key role as Real Madrid beat Barcelona to the La Liga title this summer. GETTY IMAGES

But Madrid ace admits superstar's exit would be 'huge loss of prestige'

MADRID-"It would be a huge loss," Luka Modric said, blowing out his cheeks. "Like when Cristiano left. But you can't think about the past. It's football and that's it."

Modric has faced Lionel Messi 21 times and is the only player since 2008 other than Cristiano Ronaldo to beat him to the Ballon d'Or-in 2018. He knows what it would mean if he leaves.

"If it happens it will be a huge loss for the prestige of the league," the Croatian told AFP. "But we need to go forward. Other players will become stars.

"When Ronaldo left, the same thing happened, the life of Real Madrid went on without him and it will be the same for Barcelona and La Liga without Messi."

After Ronaldo, Madrid needed to fire two coaches and bring back an old one to get back on its feet-a recovery still not complete as shown by a second straight exit in the Champions League last 16.

Messi's departure, even his unhappiness, would give Madrid an opening to establish a period of supremacy in Spain. The first step is defending the title it won in July.

"We don't have a young team but we have an experienced team," said Modric. "We have young players, who will get better. I don't know if we will buy players but even if it stays like this, we have enough quality.

"We showed it in La Liga and we know we can do it again. After the suspension, we came back so motivated. We missed football, we missed winning games.

"We had worked so hard, I think physically we were the best team in the league and that's why we won it. It was my second La Liga title and I want to win more."

Modric was arguably Madrid's best player during the 11-game runin, perhaps benefiting more than anyone from the three-month pause, after a period when he found himself rotated.

"I had two injuries that set me back and then other players took their opportunity," Modric said. "It wasn't easy for me, but maybe now Zizou (head coach Zinedine Zidane) sees it differently because I never gave up and in the end I was playing again. I feel well now, I feel fit, I feel motivated."

He turns 35 this week but Modric still considers himself instrumental to this Madrid side, his calm masking an inner steel that is well-suited to Zidane and perhaps symbolic of the team as a whole.

Helping Hazard

In his autobiography, My Game, published last month, Modric said Zidane urged him to be more of a leader and he has been supporting Eden Hazard during the Belgian's injury-ravaged opening year.

"Eden is a great guy and a special player," said Modric. "But he was playing with pain and when you're on the pitch, people always expect the best. They don't care if you have little problems. I spoke to him and said, 'Eden, maybe you need not to play now and recover because next season we need you at your best. This is a season where you're getting to know everything but next season you need to be 100 percent because if not, it's going to be difficult'.

"Hopefully he comes back without any problems and then I'm sure he'll show his potential and why the club bought him because we will need him a lot."

Bale's battle

Hazard retains the confidence of Zidane but the same cannot be said for Gareth Bale, whose prospects look bleaker than ever if he stays.

Modric has spent 12 years playing with Bale, four at Tottenham and eight with Madrid, and he is one of those closest to the Welshman in the locker room.

"Gareth is a great, great player,"Modric said. "But his situation is not easy. He always has my support but he needs to decide what is best for him and what he wants to do now with his career."

Unlike Bale, Modric trusts Zidane absolutely, dismissing those who claim he is not a good tactician and is merely graced with good luck.

"He just perfectly understands players," Modric said. "He is one of the best coaches, definitely.

"What we have achieved is unimaginable and still people say it's because of luck or this or that, and they don't give him the recognition he deserves-but he doesn't need it. His results speak for themselves."

Modric recalled one of his first meetings with Zidane in 2016, which he cites as a turning point in his career.

"I remember it word for word," said Modric."He said,'I see you as a player who can one day win the Ballon d'Or'. I'd never even thought about the Ballon d'Or before but when someone like Zizou tells you that, you feel so much confidence.

"It's why we've always had such a great relationship and I hope he stays at Madrid for a long, long time."

Meanwhile, Bale this week said he would consider a return to the English Premier League if Madrid allows him to leave.

"I want to play football, I am still motivated to play football, so I guess it's on the club. They are in control of everything," said the 31-year-old. "I have a contract, all I can do is carry on what I am doing and hopefully something comes up."

AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE

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