Luka Modric has praised Paris Saint-Germain and French forward Kylian Mbappe saying “great players are always welcome at Real Madrid”.
PSG are through to the semifinals after knocking out defending champions Bayern Munich while Real Madrid take on Liverpool in the second leg at Anfield in Merseyside, going in with a 3-1 advantage.
France World Cup winner Mbappe has been constantly linked with a transfer to Los Blancos, with countryman Zinedine Zidane currently in charge of the Spanish champions.
Speaking before the second leg of Real Madrid’s quarterfinal against Liverpool, the 2018 Ballon d’Or winner Modric said: “You hear a lot of stories about the players who’ll be coming in and who’ll be leaving, but I can’t go into that.
“Mbappe is a great player and he’s proved that with his national team and PSG.
“Great players are always welcome at Real Madrid, but it wouldn’t be right of me to speak about players at other clubs, particularly at this stage of the season.
“We’ll have to see what happens next season, but he’s a top player and is amongst the best in the world.”
Mbappe led PSG through to the semifinals after a world-class performance against Bayern Munich in the first leg of the UEFA Champions League quarterfinals in Germany.
Kylian Mbappe is already a World Cup winner. (Photo by Aurelien Meunier – PSG/PSG via Getty Images)
Before that big game, the 22-year-old Frenchman also bagged a hattrick against Lionel Messi and Barcelona in the Champions League Round of 16.
He is definitely one of the best footballers, currently, in world football and the youngster is showing no signs of slowing down. Mbappe will be crucial in PSG’s quest of a Champions League title after failing to beat Bayern in last season’s final.
Luka Modric and Real Madrid head to Anfield with a 3-1 lead from the first leg and will be optimistic of making the semifinals of the Champions League for the first time since 2017-18.
Liverpool do, however, have a history of memorable comebacks in the competition, including most recently a dramatic semifinal against Barcelona in 2019. The Croatian captain insists that the La Liga giants will not take anything for granted.
“I expect it to be a very demanding game, in which we’ll have to deliver a performance befitting of the competition and we’ll have to put in a top display,” he said.
“We’ll have to try and do what we did in the first leg and attack and defend as a unit, go out to get the win and not defend our lead. We’ve got to go for the win.”
Real Madrid’s injury problems have worsened since the first leg that saw captain Sergio Ramos out alongside Dani Carvajal. Both of their starting defenders are going to be out for the second leg as well but joining them are Lucas Vazquez who has been sidelined with a knee problem. Raphael Varane has been ruled out as he has contracted the coronavirus while Eden Hazard’s injury nightmare continues.
However, Zidane has refused to complain and has taken it to his chin.
“We are going to try to manage our strengths, manage our injuries. We are always going to go out and try to win the game,” he said.
“There are challenges and difficulties. You grow stronger as a team and become more united. That is one of the qualities this team has.
“It is true a lot has happened to this team this season. I’d love to have everyone available but we have everyone who is here and they are the ones who count.
“We will need to compete, defend well and attack when we get the chance. We are very prepared to face up to this game.”
