Marcelo leaves Real Madrid after 15-year trophy-filled career but Luka Modric signs new one-year contract extension
CHAMPIONS LEAGUE winners Real Madrid will bid farewell to one of their modern legends as Marcelo leaves the club after a trophy-laden 15-year career with them.
The 34-year-old’s contract is up this summer, and after winning La Liga and the Champions League once again, Marcelo will leave the Bernabeu.
After beating Liverpool 1-0 in Saturday’s final, the Brazilian said: “It was my last game with Real Madrid.”
Meanwhile, one of the stars of their run to the final, Luka Modric has agreed a one-year contract extension, according to reports.
Following on from the final, Italian football journalist Fabrizio Romano said that an official statement would soon be announced regarding the contract extension.
His report also indicates that a verbal agreement between the two parties had been reached two months ago.
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Like Marcelo, Modric has been a cornerstone player in one of the most successful periods for the club.
But he doesn’t have the same massive Madrid trophy cabinet due to being at the club for five years less, but his list of accolades is impressive nonetheless.
Since joining from Fluminense in 2007, Marcelo has won a staggering 25 trophies, including five Champions League titles, six La Liga titles, and four club world cups.
Modric himself has 20 trophies with Madrid, and has the additional accolade of the 2018 Ballon d’Or.
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This season Modric has continued to be an instrumental figure.
At the age of 36 he has appeared in 45 games, contributing 12 assists across the season.
On the other hand Marcelo has seen his place in the team continually marginalised.
Dropped in favour of Ferland Mendy for most of the season, Marcelo managed less than 900 minutes of football from his 17 appearances all season.
Both have been terrific servants of the club but while one was a key cog in Carlo Ancelotti’s double winners this season, the other has seen their decline as a footballer hit very hard.