Modric reveals Milan’s biggest mistake in disappointing 2025-26 season | OneFootball

Luka Modric has admitted that it was ‘frustrating’ for Milan to miss out on Champions League football in the final weeks of the 2025-26 season, feels that he may have been able to help push the team over the line had he not fractured his cheekbone and reveals what he thinks was the team’s biggest mistake during their disappointing final run-in last term.

Modric has recently penned a one-year contract extension with Milan despite the lack of Champions League football on offer in 2025-26.

The Rossoneri finished the 2025-26 season in fifth place despite the fact that they had spent much of the campaign in second, challenging eventual champions Inter for the Scuduetto at one point.

But despite their catastrophic collapse in the final weeks of the season, Modric insists that he is delighted to be back in San Siro for another season.

“I’m very happy to be back, I had a lot of fun last year,” the former Ballon d’Or winner said in an interview with La Gazzetta dello Sport.

“Unfortunately we didn’t end well and we didn’t reach our minimum goal, which was Champions League qualification, and that is quite frustrating.

“I was disappointed not to be able to help the team in the most important games at the end of the season because of an injury. That’s why I wanted to come back and I hope to have a better season and to win with Milan.”

MILAN, ITALY – MARCH 08: Luka Modric of AC Milan celebrates the victory at the end of the Serie A match between AC Milan and Inter at Giuseppe Meazza Stadium on March 08, 2026 in Milan, Italy. (Photo by Marco Luzzani/Getty Images)

Some suggested that Modric did not want to retire on a ‘negative’ note, after a disappointing 2025-26 campaign with Milan and a slightly underwhelming World Cup display with Croatia.

“No, I’m here because I had a great time, the club and the fans showed me a lot of affection and that’s the first reason why I chose to stay,” Modric insisted.

“The club have also shown that they really want me here and that’s nice. I still have the same passion, the same desire as always and I intend to continue playing football and having fun. This is the best place for me and I hope to be able to give the same to Milan as what I gave last year and to have a better season collectively, definitely a better ending.”

Where did the 2025-26 season go wrong for Milan?

Modric hinted that Milan switched off towards the end of the 2025-26 season, feeling that they already had Champions League qualification in the bag. He feels that this was the biggest mistake of the season.

“The only way to do that is to learn from our mistakes: We were right up there until that game against Lazio, fighting for the title, then we realised that it would be difficult to win the league and maybe dropped off a bit, maybe feeling confident that we were already in the Champions League. We made a mistake.”

ROME, ITALY – MARCH 15: Fisayo Dele-Bashiru of Lazio battles for possession with Luka Modric and Strahinja Pavlovic of AC Milan during the Serie A match between SS Lazio and AC Milan at Stadio Olimpico on March 15, 2026 in Rome, Italy. (Photo by Paolo Bruno/Getty Images)

Modric was also asked when he made the decision to extend his stay with Milan for another year.

He answered: “I’ve always known in my head that I wanted to continue for another year. I could have signed the contract as early as December but I didn’t want to, I needed to listen to my body. I had to understand how I was feeling and if I had the same passion to continue playing.

“That was the most important thing and in the end, the answers were what I expected: I still feel fine, I have that passion and everything else I need to keep going. When I saw that the management still wanted me here, I didn’t have any other doubts.

“What Milan showed me last year, during the World Cup and after it ended is everything that a footballer wants: Trust and affection.”

Click here to read the interview with Modric in full.