The rise of Luka Modric and Ivan Rakitic in La Liga and what it means for Croatia in Euro 2016
It is no coincidence that when Barcelona and Real Madrid play well it invariably has something to do with Luka Modric and Ivan Rakitic. The attacking Croatian midfielders oil the wheels of both sides with their abilty on and off of the ball. A high-level of passing accuracy is virtually unsurpassed in La Liga and, although both could do with scoring more goals, when they come they are normally of the spectacular variety. No three-yard tap-ins for these exponents.
Both are different types of player but are complementary to each other and Croatia will certainly reap the benefits of having two such high-quality midfielders within their midst. There isn’t really a weakness to either’s natural game and whilst they can be a “jack of all trades” if required, they have mastered the craft. Utility players with an end product, you might say.
With Rakitic, Barcelona don’t miss Xavi
It is worth recalling that Rakitic had the unenviable task of replacing Xavi Hernandez at Barcelona. The master of tiki-taka had stayed on for the extra season at the behest of Luis Enrique and even though he didn’t play a full part, he was a willing participant in Barca’s run to the treble. A treble which Rakitic helped secure with the opening goal in the 2015 Champions League Final against Juventus.
That no one really talks about Xavi other than in reverential terms now hints at the great job that Rakitic has undertaken. He is the perfect type of midfielder for the style that Luis Enrique wishes his Barcelona variant to play.
Yes, there remains the dominant control of the ball and, yes, Barca’s modus operandi continues to revolve in the most part around the short, sharp passing game that is their forte. Rakitic is adept at the same.
Where he excels is when Enrique wants to change up and provide a more direct and penetrative attack. The Croat is always in the right place at the right time and his style is a perfect accompaniment to the twinkle-toed Andres Iniesta.
Witness his finish against Manchester City last season from Lionel Messi’s cross-field ball, or his own slide-rule pass to the Argentinian for his deft chip over Manuel Neuer in the Champions League semi-final by way of examples of his movement and intelligence.
His knowledge of the game, understanding of instructions and ability to put them into practice in the blink of an eye is virtually peerless. His contributions to the team in the short time he has been in Barcelona have been many and it doesn’t seem to matter from which position he is asked to play either.
Whether defensively minded, in an attacking role or more centrally, Rakitic is intelligent enough to not only get the best from himself, but also from his colleagues. Last season his passing and crosses were amongst the most accurate from any player in La Liga.
Real Madrid struggle without Modric
Luka Modric controls Real Madrid’s midfield in a totally different way entirely. The tempo of the side is set by the former Tottenham Hotspur man and you will often find him taking the headline role, directing operations to his satisfaction.
More often than not, he gets things just right as can be seen by the ease within which Real overpower teams in the central areas invariably leading to, at the very least, a goalscoring opportunity. He rarely wastes a pass either with a pass completion success at 89.5%.
His importance to Real’s midfield cannot be understated either. Los Blancos went through their worst period last season when Modric was out injured. That is not to underplay the role that any other midfielder brings to the table, of course.
It’s just that Modric has that certain attribute that elevates him above his contemporaries. A heady mix of guts, application to work, skill and delivery.
Can they make it work for Croatia in Euro 2016?
The issue for Croatia, of course, is how they play the two together whilst keeping a modicum of common sense in terms of team equilibrium and formation. Neither Igor Stimac nor Niko Kovac could work out a system which allowed the two to function at their optimum levels and in their preferred positions. That job now falls to Ante Cacic.
The new manager also has the conundrum of how to integrate two more incredibly gifted players into the senior picture. Mateo Kovacic and Alen Halilovic have as many parallels as both Modric and Rakitic, not least that both play on opposite sides of the Barca/Madrid divide.
In any event, it is a problem most managers would profess to enjoy having to find a solution to. And it does make the Croatians one of the favourites for Euro 2016.
If Rakitic and Modric remain fit and free of injury, expect their twin midfield genii to propel them to within a whisker of the trophy at the very least.