Notes & Quotes: June 4th

Some off-season drivel — treat it like an open thread, and feel free to discuss these quotes or anything Real Madrid related. You may see more of these posts throughout the summer on days where we have less content before or after the World Cup. As a side note, I’ll be posting a mailbag tomorrow, so if you have any questions you’d like me to answer, hit me on Twitter, Facebook, or get priority on our Patreon page.

Karim Benzema, on his goal in Kiev

As we mentioned on the podcast a couple times, Karim Benzema’s goal against Liverpool was underrated — with all the emphasis placed on Karius’s mistake rather than Big Benz’s instincts to stick his leg out and redirect the goal.

“My goal from Kiev, it was not a matter of luck,” Benzema told AS.

”I do not believe in luck, it’s a matter of work.

”It’s an easy goal but you have to be there, in the right place and at the right time, to put it in.”

Luka Modric and Mateo Kovacic in Croatia’s World Cup Squad

Zero surprise here, but it’s official now: Zlatko Dalic has named his World Cup squad, and both Modric and Kovacic are in it. Based on precedence, Kovacic will likely come off the bench while Modric pulls strings alongside Ivan Rakitic.

Croatia’s final 23-man World Cup squad in full:

Lovre Kalinic (Dinamo Zagreb), Dominik Livakovic (Gent), Danijel Subasic (Monaco); Duje Caleta-Car (Red Bull Salzburg); Vedran Corluka (Lokomotiv Moscow), Tin Jedvaj (Bayer Leverkusen), Dejan Lovren (Liverpool), Josip Pivaric (Dynamo Kyiv), Ivan Strinic (AC Milan), Domagoj Vida (Besiktas), Sime Vrsajlko (Atletico Madrid); Milan Badelj (Fiorentina), Filip Bradaric (Rijeka), Marcelo Brozovic (Inter), Mateo Kovacic (Real Madrid), Luka Modric (Real Madrid), Ivan Rakitic (Barcelona); Nikola Kalinic (Milan), Andrej Kramaric (Hoffenheim), Mario Mandzukic (Juventus), Ivan Perisic (Inter), Marko Pjaca (Juventus), Ante Rebic (Eintracht Frankfurt).

Luis Figo on Cristiano Ronaldo’s future

Luis Figo, after mopping the floor with Nigel Winterburn in Sunday’s Corazon Classic against the Arsenal legends, spoke to the media about Cristiano’s future. Nothing earth-shattering here, and pretty straightforward, diplomatic stuff, but nonetheless:

“I hope that Cristiano stays like all Real Madrid fans.

”One day he will stop playing and Real Madrid will continue to be one of the best clubs in the world.”

Assorted