Messi's exit will allow other players to become stars - Modric

Real Madrid star midfielder and one time FIFA player of the year, Luka Modric, says he believes Barcelona can succeed without Lionel Messi, as Real Madrid had to do the same thing after the departure of Cristiano Ronaldo.

Messi has been pushing for an exit from Barcelona, and Modric feels other players will mature and fill the void that the Argentine would leave behind.

“It would be a huge loss. Like when Cristiano left. But you can’t think about the past. It’s football and that’s it,” Modric told AFP.

“If it happens it will be a huge loss for the prestige of the league. But we need to go forward. Other players will become stars.

“When Ronaldo left, the same thing happened, the life of Real Madrid went on without him and it will be the same for Barcelona and La Liga without Messi.”

Modric who will be 35 this September, believes Madrid can claim more silverware in the 2020-21 season.

“We don’t have a young team but we have an experienced team. We have young players, who will get better. I don’t know if we will buy players but even if it stays like this, we have enough quality,” Modric said.

“We showed it in La Liga and we know we can do it again. After the suspension, we came back so motivated. We missed football, we missed winning games.

“We had worked so hard, I think physically we were the best team in the league and that’s why we won it. It was my second La Liga title and I want to win more.”