"Modric knows exactly what he has to do"

Real Madrid's Italian coach Carlo Ancelotti explained the complaints that cost him a yellow card after his side's disallowed goal against Sevilla in the first half, which he felt went against the proper use of VAR because it went into an action that "was not a clear mistake".

"It's difficult for the football world to get used to these new rules when VAR comes in. It was created to correct obvious mistakes and this one didn't seem to me to be one. Nacho may have touched his foot, but he also touched the ball. The referee's assessment in the match seemed correct and he was corrected by the VAR. I told him he didn't have to go in because it wasn't a clear and obvious mistake," he defended in a press conference.

Ancelotti admitted that that decision caused his players some despair with the refereeing. "The first half we protested a bit more because we were affected emotionally after the disallowed goal, we lost control, but the second half was more controlled and calm".

The star of the match was Luka Modric, with his decisive goal that gave Madrid the win. The Italian coach admitted that the Croatian's continued substitutions are the most difficult decisions he has made this season.

"We celebrated with Luka because he deserved it, he scored a great goal that gave us three points. He has contributed a lot when he has come on with fresh legs. It shows that it's difficult to leave him on the bench. He's an example for the whole squad. For me, the most difficult thing is to leave a player like him on the bench", he confessed.

As in the case of Kroos or Nacho, the Italian defended that the continuity of the midfielder next season depends on the player himself, who will have the club's proposal.

 

February 25, 2024

"I think it's up to Luka what he wants to do and we have to wait for his decision. Modric, Kroos and Nacho are in the same situation. I don't go into it, only on the technical side. The club has time to sort it out in the coming months. For the respect I have for him I can't give him advice, he knows perfectly well what he has to do," he said.

"It's complicated. I went through it in my last year of my career and I understand what Modric can sometimes think. When he doesn't play he is a bit sad. Everyone thinks it's the end of his career, but he doesn't think that. He's fresh, he has fresh legs, he doesn't look like a 39-year-old player. That's the objective fact".

Finally, in his assessment of the match, the Italian boss expressed his satisfaction with the victory and the way in which his team achieved it, with seven players missing and no centre-forward to attack Sevilla's defensive approach.

"For me it was a great game played with a lot of intensity, with good balance, a lot of quality with Rodrygo and Vinicius. With predictable problems because if you don't have Bellingham and Joselu, there aren't many ways to play", he analysed.

"We lacked a reference up front, which could be Joselu, who has scored a lot of goals, or a player who comes in from the second line like Bellingham. We got the three points and I'm very satisfied because the team, for me, played a great game," he said.