Luka Modric failed to impress in AC Milan’s midfield against Lazio, subbed off after just 45 minutes, and Ruben Amorim now has a better idea of how to handle him moving forward
The veteran struggled with his passing, which isn’t like him, and above all his control of the ball, which definitely isn’t like him. He was given a 5.5/10 in our player ratings and the newspapers only gave him a 5, which tells the whole story.
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As highlighted by Gazzetta dello Sport this morning, Modric struggled to have a positive impact against Lazio. The explanation has nothing to do with his technique, because he still has a very high quality on that front, but rather with the tactical and athletic bits.
Amorim’s conclusion is logical
Amorim wants his side to play a risky type of football with many attacks, counter-attacks, and even more attacks. Putting it in simple terms, as the pink newspaper continues, it’s youth football. Modric isn’t out of his depth, but he also can’t make box-to-box sprints for 90 minutes.
The head coach pretty much outlined the issue after the game: “We need to be really good with the ball to make Luka feel comfortable in the game. If we turn the game into constant reversals and wild runs, it’s not the type of game for Luka.
“That’s why we changed the setup in the second half by bringing on Musah. Furthermore, I think Luka dropped too close to the central defenders, leaving us with just four players to initiate the move and fewer men between the lines,” he said.
Amorim clearly isn’t afraid to talk about the mistakes and even criticise the Ballon d’Or winner, but there’s also no denying that his conclusion is logical. With too much running, in a game that Milan don’t have full control of, the Croatian cannot possibly be at his best.
Very different from last season
In the 2025-26 season, Max Allegri decided to make Modric the focal point of his system, asking him to play as a playmaker a la Miralem Pjanic and Claudio Marchisio (at Juventus). The veteran played with Adrien Rabiot and another midfielder, controlling the game thanks to their shielding.
Milan almost never asked him to make sprints to press the opponents, even if he took the initiative sometimes himself. Amorim, on the other hand, wants his players to be very active in the press and it’s no surprise that he praises a player like Yunus Musah, who constantly presses the opponents.
Against Lazio, the difference between the two and the effect it had on the game was evident. Musah helped Milan keep the ball in the Biancocelesti’s half, covering loads of space and putting in the effort in both phases of the game.
Numbers are clear
As the newspaper concludes, the numbers speak for themselves. Modric has never been among the top players in terms of distance covered, and in Rome, he misplaces six out of 43 passes (which is a lot for him) lost the ball 13 times in one half.
These games happen, both at 41 years of age and at 21, but the big question is how Amorim will handle him moving forward. The feeling is that he will play the games in which Milan know they will have control of the possession, while he will be put aside for the other games.
This means that he could be benched in the mid-week clash against Benfica, seeing as that should be a more demanding one. Then there’s Lecce and the international break, so he should get the chance against the Via del Mare side.
So we have decided to play casually against smaller teams to accommodate modric, perfect decision. Same problem when we had Leao, trying to beat a team to fit one player what can go wrong?
Must modric start games? Use modric to control games that have already been won not kill the system to accommodate him.
I agree. He’s old and he holds the ball. Bring him in when we’re up by two.
“In the 2025-26 season, Max Allegri decided to make Modric the focal point of his system, asking him to play as a playmaker a la Miralem Pjanic and Claudio Marchisio (at Juventus). The veteran played with Adrien Rabiot and another midfielder, controlling
the game thanks to their shielding.”
A la Pirlo (they reconciliated there in 14/15), Pjanic & Marchisio.
“Another” midfielder? Come on, it was Y.F. practically all along, certainly not Ricci, Ardon or ruben.
We need to (re)act swiftly and sign a DC, (D)MC & SC in January, maybe even sooner and before that because we still have time, some small window, we can still sign some free agents of some quality and worth. Why should we leave all the unfinished work
4 January, February, July, August and next September? No, man,
it’s more than obvious that Rabiot and Musah need help there
(and they need it quickly), one engine for rotation-sake at least.
So it’s Jashari time ?
Why he pays more than 10 millions for youngster who than must be capable to run up and down ?
Amorim is scared that’s why he needs Rabiot and Modric in midfield.
For now he have a big luck with Musah. We all know how he badly handle ball and what mistakes he can do.
We knew it also for Ruben Loftus and Estupinan. Nothing changes on that positions.
Tomori is next target if he is going to play. And Terracciano.
Milan must invest heavily in midfield if Jashari Musah and Rabiot cant cover these position.
Modric is here for 6 more months and either way he is goodbye.
Modric must be used more from the bench no matter what tactic you use.
Amorim just need to learn to chose the right starting 11 vs the right teams. I dunno what him and his team is doing but they fail every time and need 45-60 minutes to learn what the other team is doing and put the correct players on the field.
Lazio play with really fast players forward on the flanks, and quick direct play in the middle with lots of pressure. Picking and old Modric and slow Estupinian was two huge misstakes. Had he started Moreira or Bartesaghi to the left and Musah or Jashari next to Rabiot we wouldnt had been down 2 goals in the first half.
Hopefully Amorim learned alot from this game.
loftus was a huge mistake as well
Yeah everyone (myself included) wanted to see Pulisic start there but if the plan was to have Pulisic come on in second half to manage his minutes (then maybe start against Benfica) R-L-C was the obvious choice.
But R-L-C best use is as a sub to come on in minute 70-75 to use his physique to hold on to the ball and provide rest to his teammates, work hard in the pressing, and be a present at set pieces. Hopefully this is how hes used going forward.
The key point which Amorim pointed out is “Furthermore, I think Luka dropped too close to the central defenders, leaving us with just four players to initiate the move and fewer men between the lines”
When you play with a back three and just two central midfielders they both need to be more in line with each other and the wingbacks, forming triangles to always have angles for passing.
The way Modric drops down only work with two CBs, so that the midifelder (usually the 6 in a 3 man midfield) dropping down forms a three man back line with the two cbs, and the other two midfielders stay in line with the full backs who in turn pushes up the field.
The best modern example of this is how Mourinho in Chelsea had Lampard drop down between the two center backs as a third CB dictating the play, and since then, many have copied his tactic.
The other option to this in a three man back line is to have a really skilled passer as the central CB that also dictate the play and can reach the double pivot, or the offensive midfielders with direct vertical passes. De Winter, as great as he is at defending, doesnt really have that passing foot and neither have Gabbia (even if his passing foot is better then De Winters), and that is why Amorim repeatedly asked for Inacio.
In Amorims system Modric need to stay further up, in line with Rabiot and Musah and accept that not every ball can go through him deep down the field next to De Winter. 4 players that far down on that little space is a huge waste and to easy to cut off for other teams. Instead Modric and Rabiot need to lie longer up the field, trust the back three in passing around the ball, then wait for the vertical pass to reach them.
Perhaps he could try with Gila as that (skilled) middle CB until January?
Yeah and move De Winter to the right. But I think hes afraid to use Gila there because a) hes not as good in the aerial play and b) hes overly aggressive and can be tricked away from his position by a false 9.
De Winter is better as the central CB in the defensive part of the game then Gila, and Gila is perfect at the right of the back three.
So until a CB with a great passing foot, and the ability to play in the middle of the three arrives, we will se Pavlovic-De Winter(Gabbia)-Gila
Then perhaps Diawara and Tomori to the left and right when Pavlovic/Gila need to rest.
Still a really good defense, but with room for improvement.
Play modric as a 10 in those smaller games… his control and 1st touch plus passing can unlock ramos better. Him and Puli or cisse
I think that is how Amorim will use him going forward.
Amorim knew from the start Modric will struggle more in his privot midfield, thats why he already early on said that Modric minutes will be managed more this season and he wont play all the games.
Musah and Rabiot as starters in the big games with high intensity, Jashari and Modric used as subs and vs lower table teams that lay low and allow Milan to have alot of possession. Makes sense.
Hmm. One thing that amuses me? Amorim knew what his playing requirements were, and also knew modrics age and physical condition, in fact he could pull up last seasons data and get more information on modrics top speed, average distance covered and all.
So for him to say, Modric is “central” to his project without having a plan to utilize him according to his strengths, make up for his lack of physicality, makes we think Amorim did not do his research well.
Pirlo was said to be old, contract not renewed and went to juve. 5 league titles and 3 MF of the year awards and Milan were regretting not giving him a new contract. We were now stupidly looking for a regista and adapting players in that role. The same allegri who consented to Pirlo’s leaving, met him at juve where Conte had weaved his skills into a league winning machine. Allegri still played him 3 years older!
If Amorim knew what he was doing, he had all the time to let modric leave and sign a player best suited to his high pressing game. Guess he was afraid of the public backlash of letting him leave.
So it is now he just realizes that modric cannot run? Or Estupinian cannot defend well?
Shocking to me!
Pirlo won 4 league titles of which one (the first one) was stolen from us. You are completely right about the rest although I’m not quite sure we are looking for a new “regista” now (after all, we have Ardon), that won’t necessarily be the case, we need some Rabiot-esque engine with good passing skills there.