CorSport: Only nine minutes missed – Modric an ‘inexhaustible genius’ for Allegri’s Milan

The signing of Luka Modric on a free transfer continues to look like a masterstroke from the AC Milan management.

This morning’s Corriere dello Sport has the front page headline: ‘Milan: Modric’s infinite youth’. Their article dedicated to him is titled: ‘The inexhaustible genius of Modric never stops. Always a starter in Serie A, Luka has also been at his best for the national team: rotation (due to his age) can wait.’

Modric: The key to the machine

Despite being 40 years of age – the age where many before him have retired – the Croatian champion has become an essential element in Massimiliano Allegri’s tactical set-up, so much so that he cannot do without him.

Modrić is a constant starter in the league and a paragon of fitness and consistency at the highest levels. He has missed just nine minutes cumulatively out of the last five Serie A matches (he was substituted in the 81st minute in the away match against Udinese).

His management of the midfield, alongside Adrien Rabiot, is the heart of the new project. While the time will come for him to rest his legs (such as in the Coppa Italia games that have already been played), for now he is quite literally the centrepiece in a machine that is purring nicely.

Photos: Claudio Villa/AC Milan via Getty Images

Nesta’s praise

Milan icon Alessandro Nesta also spoke about the Croatian’s talent on Gianluca Gazzoli’s podcast ‘Passa dal BSMT’ and he recognised the former Real Madrid man as something that has been missing for a while.

“The other day I watched the AC Milan game and after years I saw someone like Pirlo again, that’s Modric. But I haven’t seen much like that since Pirlo and Modric, and I don’t know who’ll be there after them. You see Modric, and he’ll weigh 60kg, but then it’s madness,” he said.

“There’s one thing that unites all these champions: humility. I happen to speak with Serie C players who think they are more phenomenal than Maldini and Pirlo.”