Aston Lukoye
Real Madrid’s head coach, Carlo Ancelotti, has expressed confidence that the trio of Karim Benzema, Luka Modric, and Toni Kroos will sign new contracts to extend their stay at the club beyond the current season.
Benzema, who recently won the Ballon d’Or, is the club’s leading scorer with 25 goals in all competitions this season. Modric, the 37-year-old Croatian midfielder, and ex-Germany international Kroos have been instrumental in Real Madrid’s five and four Champions League titles, respectively.
Despite their advancing age, Ancelotti believes that their experience and game management skills make them valuable assets to the team.
“We have to evaluate the players not by their age but by what they do,” said Ancelotti. “You can think the three don’t have the physical profile or energy of the younger players, but what these three have in terms of game management is unique, you can’t buy it on any market in the world.”
The head coach went on to confirm that negotiations were underway with the players for new contracts, adding, “I think (they) will stay.”
Ancelotti believes that age may take away some aspects of a player’s game but also gives something back in the form of experience, which the trio possesses in abundance.
