Real Madrid maestro fuels debate over deserved starting role | OneFootball

Luka Modric’s performances continue to defy expectations, and his recent displays have sparked an important discussion within Real Madrid.

According to the latest report from AS, journalist Carlos Forjanes has highlighted how the Croatian midfielder’s ability to play at a high level in matches every three days has raised a debate over his role in the starting eleven.

This debate comes at a time when Eduardo Camavinga has been struggling to find his best form and with the highly anticipated clash against Atletico Madrid approaching, decisions regarding the midfield setup will be crucial.

Given Carlo Ancelotti’s usual approach, Modric would normally be expected to sit out after completing 90 minutes in the recent game against Rayo Vallecano.

However, his impact on the pitch has made it difficult to ignore his case for more playing time.

No one comes close to Modric

The primary reason for this discussion is not just Modric’s strong performances but also the inconsistency of his competition for a starting spot.

Dani Ceballos is not currently being considered a serious option, while Camavinga has not been at his best, leaving uncertainty in the midfield.

Luka Modric is still going strong at 39 years of age. (Photo by Florencia Tan Jun/Getty Images)

Another alternative could be Brahim Diaz, but including him would require shifting Aurelien Tchouameni’s position, which may not be ideal.

Numbers to support

Defensively, using Modric does not significantly weaken Real Madrid. The midfielder records an average of 6.2 ball recoveries per 90 minutes, which is not far from Tchouameni’s 8.1, despite the latter being considered a specialist in that aspect.

The best in terms of recoveries is Camavinga, who averages 9.7. Modric, despite lacking the physical attributes of the two French midfielders, makes up for it with his intelligence, winning 41% of his defensive duels.

Additionally, he helps Madrid control possession, averaging 17 more passes per game than Tchouameni and 22 more than Camavinga.

Following his full-game display against Rayo Vallecano, Modric is expected to be rested against Atletico Madrid.

However, his performances are ensuring that he remains in contention for key matches, just as he has been all these years.