Why Milan hooked Modric at half-time and how Amorim justified his choice

Milan had to fight back to claim a 2-2 draw away against Lazio in Serie A on Saturday evening, and one of the key turning points in the game was Ruben Amorim’s decision to replace former Ballon d’Or winner Luka Modric at half-time. Here’s why the Rossoneri hooked the 41-year-old and why Amorim proved that it was the correct decision to make.

Why did Milan take Modric off at half-time against Lazio?

Lazio took a two-goal lead in the first half of their meeting with Milan on Saturday thanks to goals from Matteo Cancellieri and Tijjani Noslin. A quickfire brace from half-time substitute Diego Moreira in the 65th and 67th minutes rescued a point for the travelling Rossoneri.

Moreira was one of three players that Amorin introduced at the half-time break, along with Christian Pulisic and Yunus Musah, who replaced Pervis Estupinan, Ruben Loftus-Cheek and Modric.

It had been a difficult opening 45 minutes for the Croatian veteran, who turned 41 in the week leading up to the Lazio clash.

The former Real Madrid man has impressed the vast majority of the time since his move to Milan on a free transfer last summer, but it looked as though age was finally catching up with him away against an energetic, man-to-man high-pressing Lazio side on Saturday.

Modric’s passing stats were not the greatest on the night: Only 50% of his long passes were completed, he had a progressive passing completion rate of just 38% and only 40% of his passes into the penalty area reached their intended targets. At one stage, Modric lost the ball on five consecutive occasions. An off day by his usual meteoric standards.

There was also an issue with Modric positionally, often dropping too deep to come and collect the ball off his centre-backs. This left Milan trying to build up with four players at the back, which reduced the number of available options that Modric had in front of him.

Amorim felt that the 23-year-old Musah was better equipped to deal with Lazio’s intense pressing and that he would provide the Rossoneri with a bit more energy in the middle of the park compared to the 41-year-old Modric.

The growing feeling is that Modric is exactly the sort of midfielder that Milan want against sides that deploy deep, low blocks, which he is able to pick apart with his world class technique and pin-point passing, but that a Musah-type is the preferred option against the high-pressing sides like Lazio.

“We need to be really good with the ball in order to feel comfortable in the game. If we change hands all the time during it, then it’s not the game for Luka,” Amorim explained after full-time.

“We changed the way we present ourselves in the second half with Musah, because we understood we needed a little more

pace in the middle. Also, Luka was really near the centre-backs, then it was four players to start one play, less space between the lines.

“We can play with Luka, we proved that in the previous matches, but we have to control the game and have possession. If we transform the game into runs, he has no chance in the game.”