Luka Modric has told Carlo Ancelotti that he wants to play more games at Real Madrid having seen his role reduced at the start of the 2023/24 season.
After eight consecutive seasons in which he's played over 40 games - making a whopping 52 last season - the 38-year-old has managed just three La Liga starts for Real Madrid during the current campaign.
Modric's lack of minutes has largely been down to the swathe of young talent who have come into the Madrid squad in recent years, notably Federico Valverde, Aurelien Tchouameni, Eduardo Camavinga and new superstar Jude Bellingham.
Speaking to Marca during the current October international break, Modric has openly admitted that he isn't happy with his recent lack of minutes at Madrid and wants to continue playing regular games at the highest level.
"It’s certainly a new situation for me not to play as much as before and as much as I’d like," Modric said. “I always want to play, I don’t want to have breaks, I don’t want to have vacations, I want to play because that’s when I feel the best and that’s how I prepare best for matches.
"That’s simply how the situation is now and it may have some positives in the future, but I don’t want that, I want to play, if necessary every three days because I feel physically well.
“It would be another story if I didn’t feel good but I feel good physically and mentally, I want to play. Everything that happens around me is a normal process, so I simply accept it like that and I have to mentally prepare for this situation, accept it and move on.”
Manager Carlo Ancelotti previously acknowledged that Modric wasn't enthused by his lack of game time, but credited the Croatian's professionalism and his motivation to "always help the team".
Modric is widely regarded as one of Madrid's greatest ever players, winning five Champions League crowns and three La Liga titles en route to amassing nearly 500 appearances in all competitions.
The 2018 Ballon d'Or winner is into the final season of his Real Madrid, having penned a one-year extension in the summer, and has been linked with a move to Inter Miami in recent weeks after previously courting interest from the Saudi Pro League.
READ THE LATEST REAL MADRID NEWS, TRANSFER RUMOURS & GOSSIP
This article was originally published on 90min as Luka Modric send message to Carlo Ancelotti over lack of Real Madrid minutes.