Davide Ancelotti Says Real Madrid Still Lack Kroos and Modric Control
Davide Ancelotti has identified Real Madrid’s loss of midfield control as the central consequence of Toni Kroos and Luka Modric leaving the club, arguing that the current side lacks the specialist distributor required to turn forward runs into sustained attacking pressure.
Control, rather than talent, is the missing element
Real Madrid retain considerable quality in midfield, with Jude Bellingham, Bernardo Silva, Federico Valverde and Aurélien Tchouaméni among the available options. Ancelotti’s view, however, is that athleticism and technical ability have not fully replaced the command once supplied by Kroos and Modric.
He believes the issue is most visible when Madrid attempt to play directly. The side may have runners capable of attacking open spaces, but those movements require a player who can recognise the pass early and execute it consistently from deeper areas.
Ancelotti said Madrid’s previous midfield leaders made such patterns automatic: when a teammate broke into space, the pass would normally follow. In his assessment, a vertical approach is not simply a matter of putting more players forward; it depends on a midfielder capable of releasing them at the right moment.
Kroos set the rhythm of matches
The Lille head coach described Kroos as impossible to replace directly, not because Madrid cannot find another accomplished midfielder, but because there is no genuine duplicate of the German’s particular profile.
For Ancelotti, Kroos dictated the speed and direction of contests. He saw him as the player who owned possession, decided the tempo and shaped the match around his own rhythm. His contribution also extended beyond his passing range: Ancelotti noted that Kroos covered around 11 kilometres per game, understood defensive work and possessed a strong tactical reading of play.
He particularly enjoyed watching Kroos operate as a number 6, even though the midfielder preferred playing higher as an 8, where he could leave more of the second-ball and duel work to a holding player.
- Modric and Kroos formed the reference point for Madrid’s possession structure and passing into advanced spaces.
- Their departures removed both technical distribution and authority over match tempo.
- Madrid’s present midfield offers power and running, but Ancelotti sees no like-for-like controller.
- The next task is to create a new balance rather than attempt to reproduce Kroos exactly.
A loss felt beyond the tactical plan
Ancelotti said the departure of Kroos was especially difficult given the way Madrid had played. He added that he had a close footballing relationship with the former Germany international, as well as with Modric and other former colleagues.
He described Kroos as an intelligent person whose observations challenged coaches to think differently. Their conversations, he said, helped him improve as a coach, making the midfielder’s exit all the more regrettable.
Rodri fits the profile, but Madrid are urged not to chase a replica
Asked about possible solutions, Ancelotti named Barcelona’s Rodri as a player who would suit any side because of his exceptional qualities. Yet he cautioned Madrid against entering the market purely to find “another Kroos”.
His expectation is that Madrid will eventually establish a functioning midfield balance, whether Rodri arrives or not. He maintained that the club will remain competitive at the decisive stage of major competitions, as it has repeatedly done in the past.
José Mourinho and his staff must therefore adapt the team’s blueprint without the metronomic distribution that underpinned Madrid’s Champions League success. That could mean placing more creative responsibility on the current midfield group while making greater use of transition play, flexibility and individual quality.
- Madrid’s challenge is to restore midfield authority, not merely add another runner.
- Ancelotti views Kroos as a rare controller whose passing, work rate and tactical awareness cannot be copied.
- Modric and Kroos previously ensured that attacking movements were matched by accurate service from deep.
- Rodri is seen as an ideal fit, although Ancelotti believes Madrid can recover their balance without finding a direct replacement.
- If the current structure does not settle, Madrid’s hierarchy may consider the transfer market.
