Widespread anger against Modric

Amorim's decision sparks controversy

Milan boss Ruben Amorim hauled Luka Modric off at half-time against Roma, and the decision blew up into a full-blown controversy in Italy. The Croatian was watching from the bench with his side two goals down at the Stadio Olimpico.

Spanish newspaper "AS" reported a wave of anger aimed at Modric, with growing doubts over whether he can still cope with the demands of Amorim's system at this stage of his career.

Two unanswered goals had left Milan chasing the game at the break. Amorim rolled the dice at the start of the second half, taking off Modric and throwing on Yunus Musah to inject pace and energy into the midfield.

The gamble paid off. Milan roared back after the interval, Moreira scoring twice to rescue a 2-2 draw. That handed Amorim a solid defence of his call, but it did nothing to settle the wider debate over Modric's future and his role in the team.

Explaining himself, Amorim said: "We need good control of the ball so that Luka feels comfortable in the match. If the match turns into a series of losing the ball and frantic running, it will not be the right match for him. So we changed our approach in the second half by bringing on Musah, because we realised we needed more speed in midfield."

Amorim, who clearly leans on a back three, added that Modric was dropping too deep, close to his two centre-backs, which cut the number of players able to launch attacks and thread between the lines.

Timing sharpens the row. Milan have now drawn twice in a row after back-to-back wins, piling the pressure on Amorim, and pulling Modric at the break has thrown open a fresh question over whether the 41-year-old can keep producing his best.