Real Madrid: 5 burning questions from the 1-0 win over Atalanta

When will Toni Kroos and Luka Modric get more assists?

Toni Kroos and Luka Modric are playing world-class football on a weekly basis, to the point where their performances in the middle of the park are unmatched. The Real Madrid midfield duo put together another big-game performance in this Champions League Round of 16 fixture at Atalanta. According to WhoScored.com, both men had four key passes each.

But despite having a combined eight key passes, neither Kroos nor Modric registered an assist. Once again, Real Madrid’s inept forwards squandered chances or didn’t even make the right runs to be available for a killer pass from either midfielder. There are so many times when Modric and Kroos have the ball and are just waiting for someone to make the right run, yet Marco Asensio or another forward just stands there doing nothing – like they don’t even want to take the moment on. At least, Vinicius tries.

Kroos has six assists in La Liga this season, with most of those coming in recent matches. But Modric still only has a pair of assists in the 2020-2021 La Liga campaign. It’s terrible for Madridistas to watch as one of the worst front lines in the Champions League, especially without Benzema in the lineup due to the injury, wastes the contributions of a midfield duo that is historically great.

Maybe later in the Champions League, returns from Benzema, Eden Hazard, and Rodrygo Goes can help Kroos and Modric get the assists. Because apparently, it takes stats to get recognition, which is why Kevin de Bruyne is held in higher regard than Madrid’s duo.