sport news Luka Modric and Casemiro will play against each other for just the SECOND time ... trends now
Penny for the thoughts of Toni Kroos. Curious days, these, for the former Germany midfielder – back at work with Real Madrid, while the eyes of the world are trained elsewhere. On Qatar, where two old friends have organised a reunion without him.
On Friday afternoon, Casemiro and Luka Modric will be back on the same pitch, for the first time since the Brazilian joined Manchester United, breaking up the finest midfield of recent times.
Together with Kroos, Casemiro and Modric conquered all at the Bernabeu. They formed the bedrock of a Madrid side that won four of the past seven Champions League finals, resisting between them both national stereotypes and the clutches of Father Time.
Luka Modric and Casemiro have only played against each other once internationally - in 2018
The pair were team-mates at Real Madrid before Casemiro's move to Man United this summer
'Casemiro (was) a key player for us,' Madrid boss Carlo Ancelotti said during the midfielder's final days in Spain. 'He was important to Kroos and Modric – the combination was key to success.'
It worked both ways. Casemiro was asked recently to pick his preferred midfield partners for Brazil. 'Luka Modric and Toni Kroos,' he laughed.
Only once before have he and Modric met in international football. That was a friendly, at Anfield in 2018.
This means rather more: only one of Brazil or Croatia can reach the World Cup semi-finals, and pivotal to deciding Friday's clash will be the battle in midfield.
Toni Kroos (L), Casemiro (C) and Modric (R) became one of the strongest midfields in football
At 37, after 159 caps, Modric remains his nation's beating heart. Croatia's captain has missed only 25 minutes over four matches in Qatar, as they grind their way towards more history.
It hasn't been pretty but stardust continues to fall from his slight frame. Modric won the
