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Over the last three years, Luka Modrić has played Napoli three times, starting once and coming on as a substitute twice, in three different stadiums: the Diego Armando Maradona, San Siro and in Riyadh. Now Luka is gearing up to face Napoli again, this time at the Maradona, where on 3 October 2023, the Croatian star was on the bench with Carlo Ancelotti for the Champions League group stage opener. Ancelotti, who is a Rossoneri icon, a former Napoli Coach, and has a great relationship with Modrić, was looking to prove himself that evening following his spell in Naples. With the scoreline 2-2 between Napoli and Real Madrid, Modrić came on in the 64th minute, with the match eventually ending 3-2 to Real Madrid.

Two years later, Luka Modrić faced Napoli once again, this time at San Siro in the starting XI for the Rossoneri and as a leader. At the end of the game, which AC Milan won 2-1, the Croatian icon's passionate celebration, seen on video in the 97th minute after a decisive press and interception, was viewed by 11 million people in 24 hours on AC Milan's TikTok page. In that late September 2025 showdown against Napoli, Luka covered 11,094 metres, the second-highest distance among AC Milan players; only Adrien Rabiot has covered more (11,319). Modrić, who has supported AC Milan since his childhood, is all too familiar with the rivalry with Napoli. The third encounter was last December, in the Supercoppa semi-final at Al-Awwal Park in Riyadh, but on that day Modrić came on towards the end with the result already in Napoli's favour. 

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