Real Madrid have extracted more than they could have possibly hoped for from their aging veterans in recent seasons, but based on their Champions League performances it looks as if they might be good for a while let. When asked about whether age ever factors into his decisions, Carlo Ancelotti came up with an excellent answer.
The genesis of the question came from Sergio Ramos’ Spain retirement, who implied that his age was an issue for new coach Luis de la Fuente.
However Ancelotti declared that didn’t pay too much to it.
“The issue of being old is the same as that of youth. If a footballer makes the grade, you don’t have to look at their passport.”
“If a player is 16 years old and does the job… well, he will have to play. If a player is 17, and does not make the grade, then he doesn’t have to play. It’s the same as if a player is 35, 36, or 37. You have to evaluate what happens on the pitch every day, evaluate if a player is doing well or not. This is our job and age, for better or for worse, cannot be something with which you make a decision.”
“Sometimes they say that I don’t use the academy and back in the day, I put on a goalkeeper who was 16. It was Bufffon, who was 16 years old. Why? He was very good, better than others and that’s why he played. Maldini trained once a week and played because he was the best of all.”
Los Blancos continue to get the best out of Luka Modric and Toni Kroos, even if Karim Benzema has struggled this season with fitness issues.
The former two perhaps have had dips in the season, but the relaity is that no player is at their best level for the entire season, as was illustrated by Fede Valverde in January too.
