Recuerdo una frase que leí por aquí durante la transición Zidane-Ancelotti, que era algo como “los hombres necesitan un amigo, los niños un padre”.
Fue una excelente definición del rol que jugaría Carletto en el club de 2021 a 2025. Hizo lo que debía, maravillosamente. Lo jodido es que los niños nunca dejaron de ser niños. Xabi, inocente, intentó dialogar y llegar a acuerdos con un infante berrinchudo.
Mfs you’re in power in both the State and Centre, yet Delhi still chokes.
If you’ve got guts, arrest those burning stubble instead of burning the lungs of 3 crore people. Entire NCR is under BJP, so stop acting helpless.
Air pollution is a real problem. Stop the blame game.
This may be one of the most beautiful moments I’ve ever seen in football.
An icon getting a grand farewell, marching through a guard of honour to be greeted by the man he forged an era with.
Better together, always.
Maybe took it for granted a little because it felt like he was always going to be here. But hits hard to see Modric leave, will hit harder on the weekend. The greatest midfielder in club history. All-timer. Will never be replaced. Few in club history chilled their blood like Luka before so many massive games and looked so unbothered by the occasion. His composure was infectious and brought calm and confidence to everyone.
He had everything.
When people think of flashbulb Modric moments, they’ll think of his corner kick that led to Sergio Ramos’s last-second goal in the 2014 Champions League final. They’ll remember his shoulder-drop past Michael Carrick outside the box in Old Trafford before scoring inside the near post in 2013. There’s more, too many to list entirely: Running through PSG’s midfield in 2022, the trivela assist to Rodrygo against Chelsea in that same run, running through Liverpool’s midfield in 2023, the famous knee-height pass to Cristiano in the 2017 Champions League final, dominating Bayern Munich in 2017, and Liverpool in 2022 – plus every single heroic performance against Barcelona over the years.
One of my personal favourites: Floating at a transcendent level as Real Madrid knocked out Atletico in the UCL, 2018, at the Calderon.
But just as equal (but admittedly less flashy, less noticeable, and with far-less ‘virability’) were his defensive moments. During the three-peat, despite having Casemiro as the defensive midfielder next to him, it was often Modric who was tracking back as the last man while Casemiro took up positions in the opponent’s box. With Marcelo and Casemiro up the field, and Kroos not tracking much, it was Modric who kept the team afloat during disorder and mayhem. He read passing lanes like few could, bailed the team out on defense, and still took the burden of creating and progressing the ball. He was complete. He had longevity. He was pure greatness. You could put him in any position in the midfield at his peak – the 8, the 6, the 10 – and he’d be the best midfielder on the field in any of them.
Whoever takes over Real Madrid next season, the very first thing they need to implement in this club is this victim mentality that they have learned this season.
Constantly crying about referees, crying about everything going against you, crying about "conspiracy".
We used to be humble in defeat and after poor seasons, but this season I have seen a side of this club that I never thought I would see.
While referees mistakes are valid reasonsto be mad about, these things have always happened and not just to Real Madrid but every club.
Getting mad about it is somewhat valid WHEN the performances are there to back it. Not when you play atrocious football and then cry when things don't go your way.
2 things that everyone got mad at Real Madrid about:
1) Asking for the referees to be changed
2) Not playing
Turned out to not even be true.
Just a glimpse of how damaging bad reporting can be and how much hysteria it will cause.
Even worse, how easily people believe things just because it was said.
I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: Real Madrid has my full backing if they want to lead a revolution against the incompetent officiating in Spain.
But these intimidation tactics aren’t it. Those videos have done more harm than good. Not only has nothing improved, but now we’ve got referees openly threatening to make things worse for us.
Guys I am sad to announce that I may have Zaheer Khan Disorder (ZKD) because even at the age of 36 you can find me randomly mimicking his bowling action for no reason at all (and I am not even left handed)