Luka Modric has so far started all 14 league matches, and according to today’s edition of Corriere dello Sport, he is expected to start again tomorrow against Sassuolo.
Modric at the center: What are his numbers and what is the possible replacement?
The number 14 was immediately placed at the heart of Massimiliano Allegri’s project. As noted, he has never started from the bench in Serie A and has been substituted very few times. The Croatian has justified the trust, becoming the guiding light of Milan’s play, scoring a decisive goal against Bologna and providing two assists against Lecce and Pisa.
His many minutes are due not only to his enormous quality, which makes him almost indispensable, but also to the fact that until a few days ago there was no real replacement: Allegri does not see Ricci as a defensive midfielder, and Loftus-Cheek does not excel in that area, as relayed via those at Milan Press.
Against Lazio, however, in the Coppa Italia, Ardon Jashari returned from a long injury in Modric’s role, giving him finally a substitute to rest at times. In the coming matches, the Swiss midfielder should start from the bench, but during the game he can provide significant support.
The only rest Modric has had so far was in the Coppa Italia, where he never started in the three matches played. In the Italian Supercup, he will almost certainly not be spared, meaning that if Milan wins against Napoli, he would play three matches in eight days, a heavy load even for someone not yet 40 like him.
