GOAL

Luka Modric believes he played the best football of his career under sacked coach Carlo Ancelotti at Real Madrid.

The Croatia international says Madrid's shortcoming's this season are nothing to do with the Italian's ability as a coach

Despite guiding the club to Champions League last season and Club World Cup success in December, the coach's failure to win a major trophy this term saw him relieved of his duties on Monday.

Modric was full of praise for the impact Ancelotti had at the Santiago Bernabeu and thinks judging the Italian on 2015's silverware haul is a big mistake.

"All I can say is that he is a great coach and person," the Croatian midfielder told reporters. "I’ve played my best football under him.

"He trusted me from day one. Sometimes, although you don’t win trophies, it does not mean you’re no good.

"Our season has been very bad if you look at the results, but this is the thing: either you win or you fail, there is no middle ground.

"Maybe it is unfair for the coach or players, but it may be the key to success at Madrid. If we had not had such bad luck with injuries, it could have been different.

"It is frustrating for me not having won La Liga yet. It is the only trophy that I have not won with Madrid, but we will do our best to win it next season.”

Injury has limited Modric to just 16 league appearances this term and he is still a long way off recovering from his latest knee problem.

"I've still not recovered," he added. "I can't bend my knee, it hurts when I try, so I have to continue with physiotherapy.

"Obviously the doctors weren't right when they said the recovery would be four to six weeks. It has been five weeks and I cannot run at all."