Real Madrid's iconic midfielder Luka Modric made a dramatic impact coming off the bench, scoring a remarkable goal from outside the box late in the second half to seal a 1-0 victory against Sevilla on Sunday. This victory extended their lead at the summit of La Liga to eight points.
Real Madrid now sit comfortably at 65 points, maintaining their lead over Barcelona, who secured a 4-0 win against Getafe the previous day. They also widen the gap to nine points ahead of Girona, currently in third place, before Girona's upcoming match against Rayo Vallecano on Monday.
The match was intense, with Real Madrid initially dominating possession in the first half. An early goal by Lucas Vazquez was disallowed after a VAR review due to a foul in the build-up. Despite their control, Real Madrid faced threats on the counter, with goalkeeper Andriy Lunin making crucial saves, often acting as a sweeper 'keeper.
Sevilla's goalkeeper, Orjan Nyland, showcased an exceptional performance, making numerous saves to keep his team in the game. However, Real Madrid's persistence paid off when the 38-year-old Modric capitalized on a rebound in the 81st minute, unleashing a spectacular curling shot that found the back of the net.
Nyland's heroics included two remarkable one-handed saves to deny Vinicius Jr and Federico Valverde, with Valverde also hitting the post with a close-range strike in the second half. Vinicius, with his pace and skill, continuously threatened Sevilla's defense, forcing Nyland into yet another brilliant save in the 56th minute.
Despite Sevilla's resilience, Real Madrid maintained control with nearly 65% possession and 16 goal attempts compared to Sevilla's four. Nyland's exceptional saves kept Sevilla level until Modric's decisive goal secured the three points for Real Madrid.
With this result, Sevilla find themselves in 15th place with 24 points, maintaining a six-point gap above the relegation zone.
(With Reuters Photo)
