Carlo Ancelotti makes bold statement regarding contract extensions of Karim Benzema and 2 other veteran stars
Real Madrid manager Carlo Ancelotti recently provided an update on the contract extensions of Luka Modric, Toni Kroos, and Karim Benzema. All three players will see their current deals run out at the end of the 2022-23 season.
They are veterans of the team and have been the pillars of Real Madrid's success for more than a decade. Speaking about their possible contract renewals, Ancelotti said (via 90min):
"There is progress, they are talking, I see Benzema, Kroos and Modric as always. Throughout the season, it is normal to have differences in level. You have to evaluate them on what they do, not their age. They may not have the physique of the younger players, but nobody in the world has their way of handling matches. You can't buy that in the transfer market."
Carlo Ancelotti added:
"I think that the three of them will continue at Real Madrid, but the day they are not there, we will have to look for another spine. We have youngsters who will also mark an era in Madrid, but they will do it in a different way than Kroos and Modric."
Benzema has made 636 appearances for the Spanish club, scoring 348 goals. Modric, meanwhile, joined in 2012 and Kroos joined two years later.
Real Madrid manager Carlo Ancelotti spoke about the clash against Barcelona
Real Madrid demolished Barcelona in the second leg of the Copa del Rey semi-finals by a score of 4-0. They proceeded to the final by an aggregate win of 4-1.
Carlo Ancelotti was quizzed by the media about what the game meant to him on a personal level.
He said (via Real Madrid's official website):
"It was my 1272nd game and I’d place it high up as it’s a semi-final and if you win a semi-final you reach the final. That victory against Barcelona means we play in the final of the Copa del Rey."
"On a footballing note, I'd put this match in the top 10 of my career, in the top ten of the 1272. I also have to include some finals that weren’t so good in footballing terms but still evoke very nice memories.”
Los Blancos will play Villarreal at the Santiago Bernabeu in their next La Liga clash on Saturday (April 8).