On Saturday, Real Madrid will go for title number 15 in the Champions League, as they face off against Borussia Dortmund the final at Wembley Stadium. Carlo Ancelotti is eyeing up a second success in his second spell in charge, having led Los Blancos to the win in 2022 against Liverpool.
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Ahead of the showpiece event, Ancelotti spoke on many topics during an interview with El Chiringuito (via Diario AS). One of the issues discussed was Toni Kroos’ retirement, and the Italian admitted that his tactics will be significantly affected by the 34-year-old impending departure.
“Let’s see what happens in the future, you never know. He might have thought that he wants to finish on a high note. I’d like to finish on a high too. Finish, raise your glass and say goodbye. To do this is very difficult. He didn’t think about this, he thought it was the right time. I respect him very much, although him leaving can affect us a little.
“We lose an important player that needs to be replaced. I don’t say with the same technical characteristics, because it’s impossible, but with someone else. We have the idea of how to replace him with Tchouameni, Camavinga, Valverde… We have to play a different kind of football, but success isn’t going to change.”
Ancelotti also discussed Luka Modric’s situation, amid speculation that he could also leave Real Madrid in the summer.
“He has the right to choose what he wants. Luka is having a fantastic season. He’s had a harder time understanding playing a little less. It was an issue that we haven’t talked about this year, it’s an issue that we talked about when Casemiro was still around. After the final in Paris, at the beginning of the following season, I spoke to all three (Kroos, Modric and Casemiro). I said, ‘Look, you’ve got to lower the spotlight a little bit.’ I told the young people that they had to be patient, that the veterans kept contributing.”
