‘A gift to football’: Carlo Ancelotti heaps praises on Madrid midfield star

Real Madrid continued their good start to year 2025 with an emphatic 5-0 win over Deportiva Minera in the Copa del Rey on Monday night.

The Los Blanco were dominant from start to finish with Fede Valverde and Luka Modric competing for goal of the game. However, it was Modric that took home the praises of his manager.

Against Valencia on Friday night, Modric started Los Blancos’ comeback with a neat finish past Stole Dimitrievski, becoming the oldest goalscorer in Real Madrid history at the age of 39.

He followed it up with a second in successive games after a sweet strike.

Luka Modric scored in two consecutive games. (Photo by Quality Sport Images/Getty Images)

“He is a gift, a gift for football. Even more so for those who can enjoy him up close, the fans, the teammates, the coach… all of Real Madrid. For me je is a great gift, especially because of the way he prepares these types of matches. He prepares them as if they were a final, he is a very important example for young people.”

Ancelotti was also asked if the criticism of his management perhaps soured the experience of coaching at the Santiago Bernabeu.

The Italian manager responded: ‘I am delighted with every aspect, criticism of the coach is quite normal. There is no such thing as a university of football, everyone can give their opinion and they can be right at times too.”

Real Madrid under Ancelotti this season have put behind their initial bad spell and are back in full force.