Real Madrid News
Real Madrid veteran will risk injury relapse by playing vs Man City – report
Shortly after winning the Copa Del Rey at the weekend, Luka Modric publicly made himself available for tonight’s contest against Manchester City, despite having only recovered from a hamstring injury.
The midfielder picked up a ‘zipper’ injury against Girona on April 25. Initial results posed a negative outlook on the player’s fitness, but he was somehow able to recover himself in just a couple of weeks to feature in the last ten minutes of the Copa Del Rey final against Osasuna.
There, the Croatian midfielder announced he is going to be fit to appear in the semifinal first-leg against Man City tonight.
However, a recent report from Sergio Gomez has revealed the potential risks involved in Modric’s health, if he does indeed feature against Man City.
The wounds left by the hamstring injury on April 25 have not fully healed. The midfielder has been playing only by virtue of positive feedback in his recovery process. He was only able to feature in ten minutes against Osasuna.
The report cites doctors suggesting that the ‘zipper’ injuries can be extremely tricky. Modric, in particular, could be running a severe risk of relapse if he plays against Man City tonight.
This type of hamstring injury is indeed difficult to shake off. If he picks up another knock against the Premier League giants, the veteran could be staring at an extended spell on the sidelines – potentially up to several months.
It would see him not only miss the potential Champions League final but also in the UEFA Nations League matches with Croatia in June.
Modric, though, is determined to play for Real Madrid tonight, knowing the game against Man City is as good as the UCL final, given the quality of the opponent. He is putting his commitment to the club ahead of fitness.
However, at the end of the day, the decision will be on Carlo Ancelotti and whether or not he wishes to risk the veteran midfielder or take a more prudent decision, which could see Modric being rested out or featuring for a short period, before getting another week to recover himself.
The cloud of uncertainty over Karim Benzema’s future has served as a major headache for the Real Madrid board, as they kickstart their team planning ahead of the new season.
Recent reports claim the Frenchman is strongly considering a move to Saudi Arabia, after receiving a lucrative €150 million offer from Al Ittihad. He was close to renewing his contract at Santiago Bernabeu not too long ago, but it appears the tables have turned lately.
Nevertheless, Real Madrid are yet to give up on Benzema and still harbour hopes of renewing his contract in the coming weeks, reports Alfredo Matilla.
The Spanish journalist suggests Real Madrid have not closed the file on Benzema. Coach Carlo Ancelotti has recently met the forward to clarify his future and it appears the club are set to do everything they can to keep hold of the player.
Benzema’s departure, after all, could put the club in a major dilemma, where they must either sign a top-class striker or settle for a low-cost alternative for the entirety of next season.
Harry Kane has been earmarked as the ideal replacement for Benzema. But his acquisition could potentially jeopardise Real Madrid’s bid to sign either Erling Haaland or Kylian Mbappe in 2024. The club have also faced difficulties negotiating with Daniel Levy, the Spurs chairman.
As far as the low-cost options are concerned, Real Madrid are interested in Roberto Firmino, who will become a free agent in the summer.
However, the Brazilian international is not the most productive striker around and his struggles in front of goal could put more pressure on players like Vinicius Junior next season.
Real Madrid, therefore, will hope to keep hold of Benzema’s services for another year. Unfortunately, though, the player has given a cold response so far and left training early, without speaking too much.
So it will be interesting to see whether or not the veteran striker opts to remain at Bernabeu for another year.
