#头条创作挑战赛 #
At 3am on 19 April, the second leg of the Champions League quarter-finals will begin, and Real Madrid will take on Premier League giants Chelsea away from home with a 2-0 advantage in the first leg. There was significant good news from Real Madrid before the match, with midfielders Kroos and Modric about to complete a contract extension.
The three midfielders of the ceremony created Real Madrid's glory
Real Madrid has been invincible in the Champions League for nearly 10 years, winning the championship five times and is recognized as the king of the Champions League. Real Madrid's strength in the Champions League is inseparable from the strong play of the ceremonial midfield trio "Kroos + Modric + Casemiro".
In 2012, Real Madrid bought the almost 27-year-old Modric from Tottenham Hotspur for 35 million euros, a deal that was criticized at the beginning because of Modric's struggles in his first season with Real Madrid, and was once considered a parallel trade.
But as Modric gradually adapted to the team, the midfield master on the pitch was undoubtedly revealed, becoming the soul of Real Madrid's midfield. At the current 37 years old, he still shows no signs of age, and even gets older and more devilish, leading Croatia to the top three in two consecutive World Cups.
Real Madrid bought Casemiro from Sao Paulo for €6 million in 2013, one of the most successful deals in Real Madrid's history, and Casemiro played a huge role in maintaining the balance of attack and defense in Real Madrid's midfield.
If Modric and Kroos are the best playmakers in Real Madrid's midfield, Casemiro is the most reliable barrier behind them. Real Madrid's success with Casemiro has strengthened the team's confidence in buying young goblins from South America to cultivate leveling, and the outbreak of Valverde, Vinicius and Rodrigo has also proved the unprecedented success of Real Madrid's strategy.
In 2014, Kroos and Bayern had a disagreement when he renewed his contract, and Real Madrid took the opportunity to take him from Bayern Munich for an ultra-low price of 25 million euros. His arrival truly made Real Madrid's new "Champions League dynasty" with four titles in five years, and Bayern's top brass has always regarded the deal as one of the biggest failures and still regrets it.
No matter how Real Madrid's forward and defender lines change, and even the core of the front and back courts such as Cristiano Ronaldo and Ramos have left the team one after another, the ceremonial midfield trio has always been the cornerstone of the team's midfield and a strong guarantee for the team's victory.
The midfield duo confirmed the extension of the contract to stay in the team
But time will gradually take everything away. As the three grew older, the team also introduced new midfield stars such as Valverde, Camavinga, and Joan Armeni, who gradually established themselves in the team after years of training, and the disintegration of the ceremonial midfield was inevitable.
Casemiro, 31, joined United last summer for €70 million in the search of the final big contract of his career. His improvement in the attack and defense of Manchester United's midfield since his arrival is obvious, and Manchester United's outstanding performance this season is inseparable from Casemiro's efforts at both ends of the midfield.
Tonic Ross, 33, and Modric, 37, remain indispensable players in Real Madrid's midfield this season. The duo have also played 40 and 41 games respectively this season, contributing eight goals and 11 assists combined, and can still be the team's most trusted players in key moments.
However, Kroos and Modric's contracts will expire at the end of this season, Kroos has repeatedly reported that he may retire at the end of this season, and Modric's name has been linked to Saudi Arabia's super contract many times.
According to Spanish media, after assessing his body and mentality, the 33-year-old Kroos and Real Madrid have reached an agreement on a 1-year contract extension, and even Real Madrid is willing to offer a longer contract extension, but Kroos himself chose to extend his contract for 1 year.
In addition, according to the report of Western media Relevo, Real Madrid decided to renew the contract with Modric, and the two sides will renew the contract until 2024. The successful contract extension of the two veterans in midfielding has undoubtedly given Real Madrid fans a reassurance.
Asensio has attracted the attention of the giants
According to Spanish media "Relevo", Asensio's recent outstanding performance has allowed Real Madrid to increase his contract extension offer, and even gave the Spanish attacker the freedom to choose a contract extension.
Asensio was once known as the crown prince of Real Madrid, the core figure of Real Madrid's future, the successor of Cristiano Ronaldo's No. 7 shirt, and was nicknamed "Prince" by fans. However, after suffering a serious injury, his condition has not been adjusted to his best.
However, the 27-year-old Spanish striker Asensio has been outstanding this season, contributing 10 goals and 6 assists in 39 appearances, ranking fifth in the team in goals and joint fourth in assists, making him a very important substitute scorer for Real Madrid.
Since December last year, Real Madrid have been in talks with Asensio to renew his contract. Although he has said he wants to stay at the Bernabeu, his contract expires and has also attracted the attention of giants including AC Milan, Barcelona, Arsenal and Liverpool, who are hoping to sign the striker this summer.
With Asensio's excellent performance, Real Madrid also realized that it would cost a lot of money to find a replacement of the same level as Asensio, and also faced the problem of adapting the player.
Therefore, Real Madrid hopes to finalize the contract extension with Asensio in advance, but the initiative to renew the contract has now come to Asensio. Whether to go or stay will be a major decision in his career.