The Croatian Luka Modric, the week when there was talk about his future, about the different options that can be considered, unstuck Real Madrid and gave them the victory against Sevilla (1-0) that allows them to resist the pressure imposed by the win of Barcelona on Saturday against Getafe and maintain distance over the Barça team and Girona, which will close the twenty-sixth day this Monday in Montilivi against Rayo Vallecano.
On Sergio Ramos’s return to the Santiago Bernabeu, for the first time since he left Real Madrid four years ago, Carlo Ancelotti’s team clashed again and again against the network organized by Quique Sánchez Flores, without ideas, in a haphazard manner, until clumsy, until the veteran but endless talent of Modric appeared, who had taken to the pitch in the 75th minute, to, with a powerful and placed shot, put an end to Sevilla’s resistance.
The game was heading towards the end in a frustrating way for the white team, who saw that they could lose two points with the consequent approach of Barcelona and the possible one of Girona, but that action, like another previous and providential one by the Ukrainian goalkeeper Andriy Lunin, shot by Isaac Romero (m.52), decided the match and continued the Sevilla ordeal at the Santiago Bernabéu, where they have not won since December 2008 and usually come out defeated.
Quique Sánchez Flores’ approach was lost on Vinicius, Rodrygo and Brahim and company except on specific occasions, such as an early goal by Lucas Vázquez that the referee annulled after watching the video or a shot against the post by Uruguayan Fede Valverde.
Apart from Isaac’s option, the Moroccan Youssef En-Nesyri had another at the beginning and missed it with a deflected shot. They were the ships that Sevilla burned in attack, but it seemed that they had everything under control at the back until Modric appeared, who this season, at 38 years old, has lost the title of starter. Instead, he showed that his football and his class are still more than current.
Sevilla claimed that the German Antonio Rudiger was offside, but the VAR did not indicate it to the accidental referee, the Asturian Carlos Fernández Buergo, who had to replace the main referee, Isidro Díaz de Mera Escuderos, midway through the second period, who was injured in the right calf
The victory is a notable relief for Real Madrid, who after drawing in Vallecas against Rayo last day could not afford another setback. At 1-0, their advantage over Barcelona remains eight points and at the moment it is nine over Girona.