Luka Modric hopes that he has not yet played his final game of the season for AC Milan, and he was back at the training complex on Tuesday.
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La Gazzetta dello Sport (seen below) report that Modric is racing to be back on the pitch before the end of the season. Just eight days after undergoing surgery on his left cheekbone last Monday, he showed up at Milanello yesterday morning at 10:00am.
He’s ahead of schedule, given that he was supposed to rest for at least 10-15 days. Instead, the midfielder is raring to go and – in addition to his goal of being a key player at the World Cup – he also wants to help Milan secure Champions League qualification.
This doesn’t just involve encouraging his team-mates or being seen undergoing physiotherapy or working out in the gym. The former Ballon d’Or winner wants to be a key player on the pitch, setting an example by gritting his teeth in the most delicate moments.
When a leader like him, at 40 years of age and with such a huge trophy cabinet, pushes himself to be on the bench in Genoa on the penultimate matchday or on the pitch against Cagliari, the others can only follow. It’s a positive energy for the group.
The masked man
On Monday, Luka went to the La Madonnina clinic to have the stitches removed from his face. For an ‘ordinary’ patient, a day of rest yesterday would have been normal, but instead the former Real Madrid player’s only wish was to return to the training centre.
He entered the building, had breakfast and then underwent physiotherapy to reduce the swelling in his face and individual work. He stayed until lunch, when he ran into some other players who had arrived for the afternoon session.
Modric’s recovery will be gradual: for now, only lower-body exercises in the gym, but by the end of the week he’ll be doing solo running on the pitch. The plan is to have him wear a special protective mask in a week or ten days, when it will be possible to mould it correctly, to a less swollen face.
Until then, any physical exertion or contact is absolutely prohibited. Loads will be limited, and the medical staff already knows it will be necessary to protect him him. Especially since the surgery was certainly not trivial, and he still can’t eat normally.
Before returning to the field – even for a ‘real’ training session with a mask and his team-mates – he will have to undergo further instrumental tests, which have not been scheduled for now. They may be carried out next week if his progress continues to be significant.
European dreams
Modric wants to stay at Milan next year, so he’s ready to play his part to help them achieve their objective. If points are needed against the Sardinian side in the final game, he won’t hold back and will try to play. He could be on the bench on Sunday against Atalanta, but he’ll clearly only be a spectator.
Certainly, the verve and desire he displays now are a counter-balance to the team’s lacklustre and flawed attitude in Reggio Emilia against Sassuolo. Without him, the team has lost its leader and the result on the pitch was merciless.
While the initial prognosis was six weeks before he’d be back to his best, he wants to take half that time to be available for Massimiliano Allegri. He’s driven by heart and passion for football and for Milan.
He’s well aware that Victor Osimhen was out with a similar injury lasted 55 days, but he’s taken a close look at Edin Dzeko’s recovery schedule. He was out for just two weeks after surgery for a fractured cheekbone in October 2019.
That’s why he’s targeting the trip to Genoa, although a more realistic option could be against Cagliari. He hopes to return when Milan are no longer as close to the edge as they are now in the Champions League race, and he hopes his colleagues will listen to Allegri.
Yesterday, the coach appealed to the players’ sense of responsibility and asked them to achieve their goal for themselves, for the club, and for the fans. He doesn’t want everything to be ruined with the finish line so close. Having Modric would give him a hand and the Croatian wants to help.