Real Madrid boss Carlo Ancelotti has insisted that he will carefully manage Luka Modric, with the midfielder playing a lot of football in the opening months of the 2021-22 campaign.

The Croatia international has again been a key player for Los Blancos this season, making 17 appearances in all competitions, contributing five assists in the process.

Modric played the full 90 minutes of Tuesday's Champions League clash with Inter Milan and is expected to start Sunday's La Liga contest against Atletico Madrid.

Ancelotti has said that the midfielder will now spend some time resting at home, as he prepares to take to the field once again at the weekend.

"Of course, with his age, he has to rest," Marca quotes Ancelotti as saying. "Now he has five days until the next game. I think that he rests well at home, he has a relaxed home life.

"They are players that have something special, but I have to also think of two players behind, [Eduardo] Camavinga and [Federico] Valverde, who are performing very well when they play."

Real Madrid are allegedly planning to extend Modric's contract until June 2023.