Davide Ancelotti, the Lille boss and son and former assistant of ex-Real Madrid manager Carlo Ancelotti, has put his finger on the crisis at the Spanish club. The Italian hinted that Luka Modric's exit and Toni Kroos' retirement changed everything for the Santiago Bernabeu giants.
Kroos hung up his boots in the summer of 2024, after Euro 2024, while Modric joined Milan the following summer.
Over the last two seasons, Real have struggled badly, particularly in midfield, and lifted no major silverware. The suffering looks set to continue at the start of this campaign too.
Speaking to Spanish newspaper "AS", Davide Ancelotti said: "Real Madrid? I don't want everything I say to be interpreted as criticism. When Modric or Kroos were playing, the ball always reached the player who starts the attack."
He added, as reported by "Foot Mercato": "To play in a direct attacking style, you need a player who is good at passing. Direct attacking play does not only mean having eight players capable of running, it also means having a player capable of launching them."
His verdict was clear. Real Madrid are missing a key man in midfield.