The Croatian star’s debut did not disappoint the huge expectations, with a couple of plays that brought the fans to their feet

To understand the essence of Luka Modric, it is best to observe him with the eye of someone who does not just admire his plays. Those are for the cameras: too easy. It is better to keep your eyes on him, perhaps until he disappears into the tunnel leading to the locker room, and then you discover, for example, that for him the game does not end when the referee blows the whistle. Ten minutes after the end of Milan-Bari—a match that ended with a good dose of tranquility—Luka was there, on the sidelines, explaining some moves to Okafor, who had come on at the end. While almost everyone else was already in the shower, he was giving advice to a teammate, explaining his point of view and miming with his arms and hands what Noah could/should have done. At a guess, the Croatian was referring to one of the last moves of the game, when the Rossoneri number 17 was stopped too easily by a Biancorossi defender.

These are the details that reveal the depth of a man who, in the words of the announcer before the match, “was a child in the Rossoneri jersey and then became a legend.” Because, when you think about it, this was not Milan’s season debut, but Modric’s. It was the performance of the Rossoneri’s first violin, eagerly awaited and hailed by a fanbase hungry to once again sanctify an alpha male at Milanello. In a stadium without ultras and without organized support, the only name that raised the decibel level in the old-fashioned way was his. Allegri, with Landucci on the bench, let him play for 28 minutes, including stoppage time. Position: in the center of midfield, in front of the defense, with Jashari on the left. Applause and enjoyment from the stadium with every touch. Luka and Ardon immediately launched an offensive, earning a corner. Then he brought San Siro to its feet: a double dribble on poor Sibilli in the space of a couple of seconds and a soft right foot shot—too soft—into the goalkeeper’s arms. Then, in the 90th minute, he slipped into the box on the right, running along the back line: a low cross into the six-yard box that found no one. The crowd was angry with his teammates for not understanding where the ball might have ended up. Yes, it’s better that his teammates follow his advice.