Real Madrid’s eternal midfield pair of Luka Modric and Toni Kroos will continue to mesmerize the fans at the Bernabeu for at least another year. However, the club will bid farewell to one of their modern greats, Marcelo.
One of Real Madrid’s modern greats, Marcelo lifted the club’s 14th UEFA Champions League title on May 29 in Paris as its captain.
While he didn’t play in the final itself, the Brazilian’s contributions over the last 15 years stand out on their own; he has won 25 titles with Los Blancos, the most by any individual in its history.
Shortly after the final, the left-back announced his exit from the club. The 34-year-old left-back leaves the club after a decade and a half, four short of 550 official appearances for the Spanish giants.
“It’s a very nice moment. When you are first captain you dream of lifting the cup and I have become the only Brazilian to lift a Champions League as captain of Real Madrid.
The emotion is brutal, it was my last game with Real Madrid. But I am very happy. It’s not a day of sadness, I’m leaving with a lot of joy, grateful to the fans and the magical nights I’ve experienced at the Bernabeu,”
he said.
A changing of the guard can be expected over the next few years at the Bernabeu, but the pressure on the up-and-coming class of Real Madrid’s youngsters will be eased by Modric’s decision to renew his contract with the club for another season.
The Croatian midfielder had previously reached a mutual agreement with his club to enter his eleventh season as a Galactico without any change in his salary – Marca reports. Furthermore, the 2018 Ballon d’Or winner could extend his stay beyond next season.
Modric will be joined in midfield next season by his usual partner Kroos after the German announced his intention to continue playing for Los Blancos for at least another two years.
“I’ll have to continue here at Real Madrid – two more years,”
the German stated.
As it stands, Kroos’s current deal at the Bernabeu expires in 2023, taking the Germany international into his ninth season at the club.
