Luka Modric: ‘Everyone wants to beat the best team in the world, Real Madrid’

His nickname is “‘Lucky Luka” and no wonder.

Over the course of the past two seasons alone, Luka Modric has won consecutive Champions League titles with Real Madrid, and during the 2017/2018 campaign was key to the club securing a first league and European Cup double since 1958.

But not since the days of Alfredo Di Stéfano has a Los Blancos team won Europe’s premier club competition three years running.

Now Modric, who is widely recognized as one of the best midfielders in the world, can move a step closer to joining them in the pantheon of club greats, as Real Madrid attempt to do just that. The defending champion’s opening Champions League Group H fixture is against Apoel Nicosia of Cyprus on Wednesday.

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“It’s going to be difficult, but we have a great team with great players and I think we can respond to all challenges this year,” Modric recently told CNN Sport during Real’s preseason tour of the US.

“It’s going to take hard work and dedication, as we’ve shown in the last few years. Since I joined, every Champions League has been different, with huge expectations and a lot of challenges on the pitch.

“Teams always give more than 100% against Real Madrid, but I think now it will be the case even more. Everyone always wants to beat the best team in the world – and at the moment we are the best.”

Changes

Naby Keita: RB Leipzig - Liverpool ($62 million) —

After starring for RB Leipzig last season, Liverpool agreed a deal for Naby Keita to move to Merseyside in July 2018. The $62 million deal will be a club record for Liverpool and will make Keita the most expensive African player ever. The Guinean international was included in last seasons Bundesliga Team of the Year, and will look to solidify Liverpool's worries in central midfield following Jordan Henderson's long term injury problems.

Neymar: Barcelona → PSG ($261 million) —

Brazilian forward Neymar, 25, became the most expensive player in the history of world football on August 4, just a week after Barcelona said he would "200%" be staying. PSG's total outlay, including wages and agent fees, is likely to exceed half a billion dollars over the course of his five-year contract..

Romelu Lukaku: Everton → Manchester United: ($94.6 million) —

Although Romelu Lukaku looked destined to re-sign for Chelsea following the end of the 2016/2017 season, the Belgian forward instead opted for a reunion with Jose Mourinho at Old Trafford, as Manchester United look to challenge for the Premier League. Lukaku, 24, was a key component of Everton's success last season, guiding the Toffees to fifth having scored 40% of the side's Premier League goals.

Alvaro Morata: Real Madrid → Chelsea ($71.4 million) —

Spanish international striker Alvaro Morata joined Chelsea in July in a club-record deal, surpassing the $63 million the Blues paid for Fernando Torres in 2011. Morata, 24, scored 15 league goals from just 55 shots for Real Madrid en route to winning the 2016/17 La Liga title.

Benjamin Mendy: AS Monaco → Manchester City ($66.2 million) —

Pep Guardiola completed the revamp of his Manchester City backline with the signing of French left back Benjamin Mendy from Monaco in July. The athletic 23-year-old signed for the Ligue 1 side in the summer of 2016, making 25 league appearances en route to the French title.

Alexandre Lacazette: Lyon → Arsenal ($72.6 million) —

Alexandre Lacazette starred for Lyon last season, scoring 37 goals in 45 appearances for the French side. The 26-year-old boasted an eye catching record of 10 penalties converted in Ligue 1 and, with Arsenal's conversion rate from the spot last year (66%) in mind, Arsene Wenger will be hoping that the club's record signing can replicate his previous form.

Gylfi Sigurdsson: Swansea City → Everton ($57.6 million) —

Icelandic set piece specialist Gylfi Sigurdsson became the eighth signing of a productive window for Everton boss Ronald Koeman in August, joining for a club-record fee. The attacking midfielder, 27, covered more ground (433 kilometers) than any other Premier League player in 2016/17, directly contributing to 22 Swansea goals.

Kyle Walker: Tottenham - Man City ($58.7 million) —

After missing out on Dani Alves, Manchester City hunted down long-term target, Kyle Walker. The right-back, who fell out of favor towards the end of last season at Mauricio Pochettino's Tottenham and only started four of the team's last 12 matches, joins City in a record fee for a defender.

Bernardo Silva: AS Monaco → Manchester City ($55.9 million) —

Following an impressive Ligue 1 title-winning season, where the Portuguese international chipped in with a goal or assist every 147 minutes, Bernardo Silva joined a Manchester City team eager to improve on last season's third-place finish in the Premier League.

Tiemoué Bakayoko: AS Monaco - Chelsea ($51.7 million) —

Tiemoué Bakayoko links up with French international teammate N'golo Kante to make up Chelsea's central midfield duo. The 23-year-old impressed for Monaco in the Ligue 1 club last campaign, winning 57 tackles and 62 aerial duels over the course of the season.

Leonardo Bonucci: Juventus → AC Milan ($48.4 million) —

AC Milan's new owners made their intentions to rebuild clear with the signing of Italian international central defender Leonardo Bonucci. His transfer, from Serie A rival Juventus, involved the highest fee ever for a player aged 30 or over.

Douglas Costa: Bayern Munich → Juventus ($6.8 million loan fee with option to buy for $45.6 million in 2018) —

Douglas Costa departs the Allianz Arena two seasons after joining the German side, where he scored 14 goals in 77 appearances. The former Shakhtar Donetsk star saw his chances limited last season after he was sidelined due to an hamstring injury sustained in September, before enduring another extended spell on the sidelines with a knee problem.

James Rodríguez: Real Madrid → Bayern Munich ($11.4 million loan fee with option to buy for $39.9 million in 2019) —

Colombian international James Rodriguez joined Bayern Munich on a two-year loan looking to revive his promising career after a mixed three seasons at the Bernabeu, where he managed 28 league goals and 22 assists in 77 appearances for the club.

Victor Lindelof: SL Benfica → Manchester United ($39.1 million) —

Swedish center back Victor Lindelof missed just two league matches of Benfica's title-winning 2016/17 campaign, during which the Portuguese club conceded a mere 19 goals in 34 league matches.

Vinicius Junior*: Flamengo → Real Madrid ($48.9 million) *Player will officially join Real Madrid in July 2018 —

Vinicius Junior became one of the most expensive teenagers in the history of world football when Real Madrid agreed a fee just 11 days after his professional debut in Brazil's Serie A. The 17-year-old will remain with parent club Flamengo this season.

Corentin Tolisso: Lyon → Bayern Munich ($47.3 million) —

Corentin Tolisso leaves Lyon following three seasons with the seven-time French champions, where he scored 29 times and contributed with a further 17 assists in 160 appearances.

Ederson: SL Benfica → Manchester City ($44.5 million) —

With England first choice keeper Joe Hart expected to depart the Etihad stadium, Manchester City's goalkeeping troubles have been eased with the signing of Ederson. The Brazilian impressed in his two seasons with SL Benfica, keeping 32 clean sheets in 58 appearances.

Mohammad Salah: AS Roma → Liverpool ($44.1 million) —

Former Chelsea midfielder Salah joins Liverpool on the back of an impressive season with AS Roma, where the Egyptian's 19 goals and 15 assists helped I Giallorossi to a second-place finish. Salah created a team-leading 71 chances over the course of last season's Serie A campaign.

Antonio Rudiger: AS Roma → Chelsea ($43.8 million) —

Antonio Rudiger's stellar performances for Germany's Confederations Cup winning side were enough to convince Chelsea boss Antonio Conte the 24-year-old should become his newest defensive signing, as the Blues look to strengthen their backline in hopes of retaining the Premier League title.

Anthony Modeste: FC K?ln → Tianjin Quanjian ($39.8 million) —

The 28-year-old Anthony Modeste had a late breakthrough season during the 2016/17 campaign where he found the back of the net 27 times in 37 appearances for FC K?ln. Modeste joins a Tianjin side eager to challenge Guangzhou Evergrande's dominance after Luiz Felipe Scolari's team won the last six Chinese Super League titles.

Andre Silva: FC Porto → AC Milan ($43.3 million) —

Even though Andre Silva's FC Porto fell just short of first place and were beaten to the Primiera Liga title by local rival SL Benfica, his 22 goals in 41 appearances proved enough to secure his move to a rebuilding AC Milan.

Jordan Pickford: Sunderland → Everton ($38.6 million) —

Although Jordan Pickford only boasted a 15% clean sheet success rate last season, the 23-year-old was arguably Sunderland's only bright light following a disastrous 2016/2017 campaign in which the Premier League side was relegated to the second tier of English football.

Michael Keane: Burnley → Everton ($38.6 million) —

Manchester United academy graduate Michael Keane was key to Burnley's success in his three seasons with the club, and joins Everton in the hope of filling the hole that Manchester City center back John Stones left when he departed Goodison Park in 2016. Keane won 136 aerial duels over the course of last season.

Davy Klaassen: Ajax → Everton ($30.4 million) —

Davy Klaassen's Ajax finished the season without securing any silverware, but the 24-year-old did guide his side to the Europa League final.

Theo Hernandez: Atletico Madrid → Real Madrid ($29.6 million) —

Theo Hernandez has become one of the few that have dared to make the cross-city switch from Atletico to Real Madrid following his eye-catching performance whilst on loan at Deportivo Alavés. The 19-year-old made 37 appearances for the Basque side, averaging two tackles per game.

Andrea Conti: Atalanta → AC Milan ($28.5 million) —

Acting as the centerpiece of Atalanta's historic 2016/2017 season where the side beat out the likes of Inter Milan, Lazio and Fiorentina to a fourth-place finish, Conti joins AC Milan to become a part of their major redevelopment. The 23-year-old was a pivotal part of the league's fourth best defence, conceding 41 goals and keeping 14 clean sheets.

Dani Alves: Juventus → PSG (Free Transfer) —

Alves looked set for a reunion with former Barcelona manager Pep Guardiola at Manchester City, but instead opted to join a PSG side determined to clinch the Ligue 1 trophy once again. The 34-year-old left Juventus following a one-year spell with the club, where he averaged 2.6 successful tackles per game.

Paris Saint Germain made Mbappe the second most expensive player in history as they brought the French international back to his hometown to play alongside Neymar in a frontline worth close to half a billion dollars.

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Modric, acquired from Tottenham for ￡27 million in 2012, has come a long way since readers of Spanish publication Marca voted him La Liga’s worst signing five years ago.

The 32-year-old was the heartbeat of the side alongside Toni Kroos during Real Madrid’s record 40-game unbeaten run in 2016/17, and played every minute of both the 2016 and 2017 Champions League finals, assisting Cristiano Ronaldo for his 600th career goal in Cardiff in the 4-1 win over Juventus in June.

Once rejected by boyhood club Hajduk Split for being too small, it was no surprise to see him named 2016/17 UEFA midfielder of the season by a panel of European coaches and journalists.

“I think I’ve changed a lot,” said Modric. “I am a person and a player that always likes to learn things and improve.

“Playing with all these great players we possess [at Real Madrid] pushes you forward and helps you to become a better player.”

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“We’ve had difficult moments in the finals, but in the end we showed character, amazing spirit and these moments will stay with us forever.”