MADRID FANS ANGRY: LUKA MODRIC COMPARES MILAN'S HISTORY TO REAL MADRID'S LEGACY
Luka Modric reveals he joined AC Milan for its "Real Madrid-like" prestige. The 40-year-old is a starter and loving life at the historic Serie A club.
Luka Modric is happy to be at Milan, a club he sees as similar to Real Madrid in terms of prestige and legacy.
Modric, now playing for Milan, spoke with Arena Sport in Croatia about his initial months at San Siro.
The ex-Real Madrid player has been in the starting lineup for all 12 of Milan's Serie A matches this season, playing a role in wins against Inter, Napoli, and Roma.
Milan is currently second in the Serie A standings, tied with Napoli at 25 points, and just two points behind Roma, who lead the league.
Modric on his warm reception at Milan
Modric said the city is amazing, and he received a warm reception from people inside and outside the club.
He added that his teammates, coach, and fans are all great. Milan is a historically great club, one of the biggest on the planet. He feels it every step of the way, so he's really enjoying it.
Modric's time at Real Madrid was incredibly successful. He won four La Liga titles, six Champions League titles, and the 2018 Ballon d’Or.
The 40-year-old left Real Madrid when his contract ended last summer.
He admitted that leaving wasn't easy, as he spent 13 years, almost half his life, with one club in one city.
Modric talks about joining Milan from Real Madrid
Modric said it was one of the best times of his life. He arrived in Madrid relatively late, at 27, but at the perfect time. He was ready for it. His four years in England helped him a lot. Everything he experienced and achieved in Madrid still feels surreal.
He believes he's joined a club that is similar to Real Madrid in terms of prestige and legacy.
It’s an ideal situation for him because he loves Milan. Growing up, he loved Italian soccer, and Milan was the club he adored the most. When the chance to join Milan came up, it felt like the right choice.
Modric's contract at San Siro ends at the end of the season, but Milan has the option to keep him until 2027.
OFFICIAL MOVE: KENNETH TAYLOR JOINS LAZIO AS JURRIEN TIMBER SENDS A "BROSKI" FAREWELL
Kenneth Taylor joins Lazio for €16.9m while Arsenal secure their core stars. Latest on Marc Guehi’s potential Man City transfer.
Arsenal’s Jurrien Timber reached out to his old Ajax teammate Kenneth Taylor after Taylor’s move to Lazio became official.
These two have seen a lot together—over 100 games side by side, working their way up through the Ajax academy and into the senior squad. Timber left for Arsenal in the summer of 2023, but Taylor stayed on in Amsterdam, riding out some rough times.
Ajax had a tough run last season, losing the Eredivisie title in gut-wrenching fashion. Right now, they’re sitting third, but PSV is miles ahead—16 points, to be exact.
Taylor has played 19 times across all competitions this season, but that’s it for him at Ajax. Lazio swooped in and paid €16.9 million (£14.4 million) to bring him to Italy. Timber jumped on Instagram to send his support, replying to Ajax’s farewell post (which featured a photo of both players) with a simple “Good luck, broski [red heart emoji].”
Ajax didn’t let him go quietly, either. The club released a heartfelt statement, with Director of Football Marijn Beuker calling Taylor “a true Ajacied” who came up through the ranks, set a good example for younger players, and became a fixture in midfield. Beuker said, “Kenneth wants to take the next step in his career, and we’re happy to give him that chance. We’ve thanked him for everything and wished him all the best in Italy.”
As for Timber’s own future, Arsenal wants to keep him around—and Declan Rice too. That’s according to football. London. Arsenal already locked in Bukayo Saka until 2031, and new contracts for William Saliba, Gabriel Magalhaes, Ethan Nwaneri, and Myles Lewis-Skelly are done deals.
The Times says Arsenal’s also got talks lined up for Martin Odegaard, Kai Havertz, David Raya, and Mikel Merino. Their contracts all run out in 2028, so that’s the next order of business—even in the January window, with no new signings expected after spending £250 million last summer.
One name on Arsenal’s radar is Crystal Palace defender Marc Guehi, but unless Manchester City grabs him this month, that move would wait until summer. Palace boss Oliver Glasner admitted things could change fast: “I’m not naive. If City comes in with a massive offer and Marc wants to go, it’ll happen. If we’re only thinking about football, everyone at the club would want Marc to stay. The chairman feels the same. But money matters too. There’s a point where the finances outweigh the sports side—if Marc wants to leave, the final call is his.”
MASTERCLASS: LAUTARO MARTINEZ AND ZIELINSKI DETAIL THE TACTICAL PLAN THAT DESTROYED BOLOGNA’S DEFENSE
Lautaro Martinez ignores a hand injury to lead Inter Milan to a 3-1 revenge win over Bologna. See the full tactical breakdown here.
Lautaro Martinez and Piotr Zielinski didn’t hide how much Inter’s tactical plan mattered in finally breaking their Bologna curse with that 3-1 win. “My hand hurts, but I’m heading home happy tonight,” Lautaro said with a grin.
So, Inter grabbed their fifth Serie A win in a row and held onto first place. But this one meant even more—they wanted to send a message after what happened last time against Bologna. Just a couple of weeks ago, Bologna knocked them out of the Supercoppa Italiana on penalties. And last season’s loss at the Stadio Dall’Ara? That stung, and it cost them in the title race.
Not tonight, though. Piotr Zielinski, Lautaro Martinez, and Marcus Thuram all found the net, and only a late goal from Santiago Castro gave Bologna anything to smile about.
Inter had been struggling with Bologna lately, no question.
Lautaro explained, “Before the game, we made a plan, and honestly, it worked perfectly. We pressed hard right after losing the ball, and Bologna couldn’t handle it. Our midfielders were right there on the second ball, which set up our chances. That’s how we got our goals.”
Lautaro’s on fire—six goals in his last five Serie A games. Still, the night started rough. Early on, someone stepped on his hand. Didn’t stop him, though.
“These three points mean a lot. My hand hurts, yeah, but I play through it and give everything for the team. That’s why I’m happy tonight.”
He also had a laugh, celebrating with Thuram after that odd goal—Thuram kind of bundled it in with his chest, barely knowing what hit him.
“We had one last sprint after that goal. I’m happy for him—he deserves it. Everyone’s working for the team, and we all want to take Inter as far as we can.”
Zielinski grabbed his second Serie A goal of the season—his third in all competitions—and he’s turning into a regular under Cristian Chivu.
“I’ve been feeling good for a while now, and I’m glad I can help the team,” Zielinski told DAZN Italia.
“Everything went well, except for that late goal. We were in control for most of it. That matters, especially given our recent problems against Bologna.”