"A two-man midfield and a team split in two. This is how Modric gets overwhelmed"
That is the headline in 'La Gazzetta dello Sport' this morning, which explains that the way Milan play has changed considerably compared with last season, and consequently so has Luka Modric’s role.
In Max Allegri’s 3-5-2, the Croatian star had to cover less ground and was protected by two midfielders.
Now, however in Ruben Amorim’s 3-4-2-1, which demands a dominant and intense style of football, he has only one player alongside him and much more ground to cover.
With AC Milan's current style of play, can Milan get the best out of Modric?
Amorim responded to that question after the Lazio-Milan 2-2 draw:
"We have to be really good with the ball to make Luka feel comfortable in the game. If we turn the match into constant end-to-end action and frantic running, that’s not the type of game for Luka. That’s why we changed our approach in the second half by bringing on Musah: we understood that we needed a bit more pace in midfield. On top of that, I think Luka was dropping too deep, close to the centre-backs, which meant we had four players just to start the build-up and fewer men between the lines. We can play with Luka, and we have shown that in the last few games, but to do that we have to turn the match into one of possession and control. If we turn it into a game of running, it becomes impossible for him."
