Carlo Ancelotti confident Luka Modric, Karim Benzema and Toni Kroos will commit futures to Real Madrid

Real Madrid’s long-serving trio of Karim Benzema, Luka Modric and Toni Kroos will stay at the club beyond the end of the season, according to the Spanish club’s head coach Carlo Ancelotti.

The decorated Real stalwarts are out of contract at the end of the season and their advancing years have led to some doubts about what the future holds.

Modric is 37, Benzema 35 and Kroos 33, but they remain key figures on the pitch for Ancelotti’s side.

The Italian manager said on Friday that ‘there are advances, because they are talking’ when asked about the contract situation.

“I think [they] will stay,” Ancelotti continued. “We have to evaluate the players not by their age but by what they do.

“You can think the three don’t have the physical profile or energy of the younger players, but what these three have in terms of game management is unique, you can’t buy it on any market in the world.

“This is born with experience – age takes something from you, but it gives you something back as well.”

Benzema and Modric have been part of five Champions League-winning campaigns and Kroos four, and already in 2022/23 they have made a combined 108 appearances in all competitions.

Real’s top scorer this season is Benzema with 25 goals, while Modric has contributed six goals and six assists and Kroos has scored twice and set up five more goals.

Ancelotti’s side have fallen off the pace in La Liga, sitting 12 points behind leaders Barcelona in second place with 11 games to go.

They remain on track to defend their Champions League crown too, with a two-legged quarter-final clash against Chelsea kicking off next week in Madrid.