Davide Ancelotti says Real Madrid are missing a key midfield link after Kroos and Modric exits

Davide Ancelotti, the Lille coach and son and assistant of former Real Madrid manager Carlo Ancelotti, has identified the loss of Toni Kroos and Luka Modric as a major factor behind the club’s continuing difficulties.

Kroos retired in the summer of 2024 after the European Championship, while Modric moved to Milan the following summer. Since then, Real Madrid have struggled, particularly in midfield, and have failed to win a major trophy over the past two seasons.

The problems have continued at the start of the current campaign, with Ancelotti suggesting that the team no longer has the player who used to provide the crucial link between possession and attack.

“Real Madrid? I do not want everything I say to be interpreted as criticism,” Davide Ancelotti told AS. “When Modric or Kroos played, the ball always reached the player who started the attack.”

His comments were reported by Foot Mercato, with Ancelotti stressing that a direct attacking approach requires more than players capable of running forward.

“To play in a direct attacking style, you need a player who is good at passing,” he said. “Direct attacking football does not only mean having eight players capable of running. It also means having a player capable of setting them free.”

Ancelotti concluded that Real Madrid are missing an important midfield presence following the departures of Kroos and Modric. The pair had played a central role in the team’s ability to progress the ball and launch attacks, and their absence has become especially apparent in the club’s struggles during the last two seasons.