How Real Madrid Can Shuffle Their Pack to Cope with Luka Modric Injury
Luka Modric, along with Ivan Rakitic and Mario Mandzukic, were rested for Croatia's friendly with Argentina at Upton Park last week because there was a bigger match around the corner.
Croatia manager Niko Kovac was saving the trio for the European Championships qualifier against Italy, as reported by Spanish publication AS (in Spanish).
But, after less than half an hour at the San Siro on Sunday evening, Modric was forced to hobble off against the Italians and a blow was struck not just to the Croatians, but to Real Madrid too.
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A groin strain is the verdict, per Marca, and a short period on the sidelines is expected.
Modric's partnership with Toni Kroos has blossomed beyond what was initially expected and the duo have been a joy to watch during Los Blancos' 13-game winning streak.
When one attacks, the other knows to hold and, for now at least, no opposition side has been able to exploit them defensively.
Despite having Sami Khedira and Asier Illarramendi at his disposal, plus recently suggesting Isco could play deeper, per AS, Carlo Ancelotti clearly knows who he favours as his midfield duo.
For the next few weeks, however, the Italian will have to come up with a different plan.
And in a strange twist of fate, this could be the perfect opportunity for German international Khedira to fight for his Madrid future.
AS points out that Modric's injury arrived exactly a year and a day after Khedira himself was injured representing Germany against Italy at the very same stadium.
The 27-year-old is out of contract next summer, but he may yet have desires on a new deal.
Including Khedira in the side would surely be perfect for Kroos, who would be offered more protection by his German compatriot than he currently is by the diminutive Modric.
It's also an excuse for Ancelotti to give Illarramendi a run of games, too.
Signed last summer as "the new Xabi Alonso," the Basque midfielder has struggled to live up to the tag or the £27 million Real Madrid paid to Real Sociedad to bring him to the Spanish capital.
In his fleeting appearances this season, though, there have been glimpses of his progression.
Alongside Kroos he could once again find the form, which was the platform for La Real's qualification into the Champions League in 2012/13.
A riskier move, but one which Ancelotti has suggested in recent weeks, would be to play Isco at the base of the midfield.
The 22-year-old is in fine form, expressing himself in the final third for Madrid and for Spain—as demonstrated by his goal against Belarus—but he has also improved defensively.
He was hard done by when he was left out of the side against Rayo Vallecano to accommodate Gareth Bale's return from injury; this could be the perfect time to bring him back into the side.
A front six of Kroos, Isco, Bale, Cristiano Ronaldo, James Rodriguez and Karim Benzema sounds outrageously attacking, but even with Modric it's not exactly defensive.
Ancelotti's options are varied and interesting; there are reasons for playing each one of his three back-ups.
And with three away matches coming up—Eibar, Basel, Malaga—the Madrid boss may indeed choose to rotate his midfield, before playing two of the three against UE Cornella in the Copa del Rey meeting at the Bernabeu at the beginning of December.
By the time Celta Vigo head to the Spanish capital, Modric may well be fit again.
Will any of his replacements have done enough to convince Ancelotti that maybe Kroos and Modric isn't his best midfield pairing?
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