Real Madrid 1-0 Sevilla – Luka Modric gives Real hard-fought victory over visitors in La Liga clash

Luka Modric’s stunning goal sealed Real Madrid’s 1-0 victory over Sevilla, sending Los Blancos eight points clear at the top of the La Liga table.

Madrid finally got the job done at the Santiago Bernabeu on Sunday, with substitute Modric scoring a wonderful goal in the 81st minute.

Carlo Ancelotti’s team had previously been frustrated by VAR, and referee Isidro Díaz de Mera Escuderos, who was later injured and had to be replaced by the fourth official, disallowed Lucas Vázquez’s goal in the 10th minute after consulting to the field monitor.

Despite Madrid’s dominance, Sevilla had the best chances either side of Federico Valverde hitting the post just after the break, with Youssef En-Nesyri cutting wide and Andriy Lunin brilliantly denying Isaac Romero.

That save paved the way for Modric’s heroics, and Madrid continued its march towards the title.

En-Nesyri should have put Sevilla ahead in the eighth minute, but he went wide from close range after connecting with Romero’s cross.

Madrid appeared to have punished their profligacy soon after, but the referee ruled that Nacho had fouled En-Nesyri in the build-up to Vázquez’s push home.

Valverde’s magnificent shot was deflected by Orjan Nyland, but the main action came after the break: Madrid’s Uruguayan midfielder hit the post four minutes after the restart.

A flurry of chances for Madrid followed, although the hosts relied on Lunin to keep level as the Ukrainian made a fine save to stop Romero’s attempt.

An injury to referee Escuderos meant that the fourth official had to come on in his place, and Madrid finally turned the screw after that interruption in play, with Modric, after taking advantage of a loose clearance, creating enough space to drill a fantastic shot from the area. straight vertical from 20 yards away.

Kike Salas headed wide as Sevilla searched for an equaliser, but Madrid eventually secured a victory that further reaffirms their dominance at the top of Spain’s top flight.

It wasn’t exactly a case of “No Jude Bellingham, no problem” for Madrid, but in a season in which their new star has delivered in so many decisive moments, it was perhaps appropriate for one of the old guard to step up. forehead. absence.

Modric will leave Madrid at the end of the season and vacate that famous number 10 shirt in the process (for whom, we wonder…), but he delivered when it mattered most. With Bellingham returning soon, there seems to be nothing stopping Los Blancos’ title fight.

An honorable mention for Lunin, but it is Modric who stole the show with that sensational winning goal, which was his only shot of the game. He had 30 touches and completed 20 of his 21 passes (95.2 percent).

At 38 years and 169 days old, Modric became the second oldest player to score from outside the box in LaLiga since the 2003-04 campaign, after Jorge Molina.

Real Madrid: Lunin 8, Vázquez 7, Nacho 7, Rudiger 7, Mendy 6, Valverde 7, Kroos 6, Tchouameni 6, Díaz 7, Rodrygo 6, Vinicius 7. Substitutes: Modric 9*, Ceballos 6, Rodríguez N/A.

Seville: Nyland 7, Navas 6, Bade 7, Ramos 8, Salas 7, Torres 7, Soumare 6, Sow 6, Ocampos 7, En-Nesyri 6, Romero 6. Subs: Suso 6, Sanchez 6, Veliz 6, Nianzou N/A , Januzaj N/A.

8′ – WHAT A FAILURE! Real Madrid 0-0 Sevilla (En-Nesyri): My God, what an opportunity for Sevilla! A long ball down the left saw Romero clear down the left, and he slid a perfect cross towards En-Nesyri, but with plenty of goal to aim for from close range, the striker was unable to stop his shot. below. Great break for Madrid!

14′ – NO GOAL! Real Madrid 0-0 Sevilla (Vázquez): That seems incredibly harsh for Madrid, but the referee has disallowed the goal. Ancelotti’s men are furious and Sevilla gets away with it.

45+2′ – WHAT A HIT! Real Madrid 0-0 Sevilla (Valverde): It is a hammer from Valverde, who aligned his sights and shot at goal from afar. The ball spun and deflected, but Nyland kept his eye on it, whipping out a strong left hand to stop it. What a goal that would have been!

49′ – OFF THE POST! Real Madrid 0-0 Sevilla (Valverde): So close to Madrid’s first game! That’s better, as the hosts push through Sevilla and the ball returns to Valverde in the box. However, at the decisive moment, the midfielder trips and his shot deflects, but he crashes into the right post. It’s 0-0.

52′ – SAVE! Real Madrid 0-0 Sevilla (Monday): This is absolutely brilliant from Lunin, who keeps Madrid level with an instinctive save, avoiding Romero’s shot from point-blank range. What a save by the Ukrainian goalkeeper and suddenly this match has come to life!

62′-REF NEEDS TO BE REPLACED!Real Madrid 0-0 Sevilla: Well, you don’t see this every day! The referee will have to be replaced as what appears to be a calf injury marks the end of his night. The fourth referee, Fernández Buergo, will have to replace him. How chaotic the second half has been!

81′ – GOAL! Real Madrid 1-0 Sevilla (Modric): That. A hit! Modric, the super substitute, has delivered! He picked up the remains of a weak clearance and, from 20 yards out, fired a brilliant shot off the right post. Nyland had no chance and the whites finally have the advantage! The Sevilla players complain, led by Ramos, apparently about an offside in the build-up. Rudiger was in an offside position when the ball went in, but he didn’t intervene, so the goal stands!

90′ – CLOSE! Real Madrid 1-0 Sevilla (Salas): This could have tied it for Sevilla! A corner taken by Suso finds Salas’ head, but the defender can only deflect the shot away from him. Will this be Sevilla’s last chance?