Modric's situation at Real Madrid has gone from brown to dark. And at the same time, it is quite clear. Because it is now an unquestionable reality: whoever was the protagonist is today a supporting actor. Basically, it is the natural course of things: any player is sweetly condemned to reach a point in his career in which the engine loses power and other drivers overtake on the left. The opposite would be superhuman. In more than a century of football, an everlasting footballer has not yet been seen. But in the case of Modric, the step back has been especially eminent. Very overnight. Nowadays, he hardly counts: being a starter is bordering on the chimera, and playing more than half a part is the dream. And that, in Luka, stirs up the debate.

He had played 1,838 minutes at this point last year (the first leg of the Champions League round of 16 on February 21). This course goes 1,374′. They are 464′ below. 26% less.

In a squad of 20 players (not counting the three long-term injuries), he is 16th in minutes. And taking into account that Brahim is going further, everything indicates that there will soon be a surprise (the man from Malaga has 1,184'). Luka has played 27 games, which reflects that, when he plays, he plays an average of 50 minutes, barely a part. He has only started in 15 of Real Madrid's 35 games, and there is a more illuminating fact: in the entire last season, he only watched a game from the bench twice. In this course, there are already six. And half are recent (three of the last six meetings).

2024 has started worse than 2023 ended. In the last three games: Derby, Girona, and Leipzig, he played only 15', 21' and 0' respectively. Tiny numbers for what Modric is, for what he has been. Luka knows that his continuity, to say the least, is difficult. The theme is getting dark, but underneath it seems pretty light.

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