The most successful team in the European club football and Spanish top-flight Real Madrid, led by 2018 Ballon d’Or winner Luka Modrić, had Sevilla visiting them on Matchday 26 of the 2023/2024 Spanish La Liga Season. The game between Los Blancos and a Sevilla side led by ex-Real Madrid captain Sergio Ramos was at all square for almost the entire 90 minutes plus added time, until the team in famous white jerseys turned to their veteran midfielder Luka Modrić for solution, in which the 38-year-old Croatian captain delivered by scoring a late winner moments into his 75th-minute substitution in the second half of this league encounter.
Luka Modrić Came Off the Bench to Deliver Real’s Winning Goal
Real Madrid continued to be without several stars in the home matchup against Sevilla last night, including Thibaut Courtois, Éder Militão, David Alaba and most importantly Jude Bellingham, the new summer signing from German Bundesliga 1 side Borussia Dortmund. Carlo Ancelotti’s side dominated the game with 16 shots and 64% possession against their visitors’ four efforts and 36% possession, but the home team had to wait till the last few minutes of the game to find the opening goal, following Luka Modrić’s emphatic strike.
The 38-year-old Croatia captain, who started the game on the bench, came onto the pitch to replace his club skipper Nacho with 15 minutes remaining in the normal playing time of 90 minutes, and his presence provided an instant impact to Real Madrid. Federico Valverde tried to find a teammate in the penalty box, before his cross was blocked by the visitors. To the home side’s advantage, the clearance did not go far and fell before the route of Luka Modrić, and the experienced midfield star stopped the ball with superb control, before firing a shot towards the Sevilla goal. Luka Modrić’s effort would brush the post followed by ending in the back of the net for the game opener.
That Luka Modrić goal was only his second in 29 games in all competitions played for Los Blancos in the 2023/2024 Season, and it proved to be the winner upon the final whistle, meaning former Real captain Ramos’s return to the Santiago Bernabéu was not a pleasant one, as Sevilla are now only 6 points above the relegation zone with 12 games remaining in the league this year. Real Madrid, on the other hand, are at least 8 points clear of everyone else in the summit of the La Liga table with their 1-0 win over Sevilla yesterday.
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Ancelotti on Luka Modrić: “An Example for the Whole Squad.”
64-year-old Ancelotti was generous with his positive remarks over Real Madrid’s 1-0 La Liga victory against Sevilla at home yesterday. “For me it was a great game, with intensity, balanced, with quality from Vinícius and Rodrygo. The problem was that we were predictable. If you don’t have Bellingham and Joselu, it’s easier to see how we will play. We don’t have a reference like Joselu, or a player who arrives from deep like Bellingham. They are a deserved three points, so I am satisfied for a great game,” said Don Carlo during the post-match conference.
The managerial expert in football went further to note a few words on Luka Modrić, the veteran who netted Real’s winner last night. He said: “[Luka Modrić] deserved it today. He scored a great goal. He contributed a lot when he came on, he brought freshness. It’s difficult to leave him on the bench. The way he trains every day, he’s an example for the whole squad. I went through it in the last year of my career. I understand perfectly what Modrić must think when he doesn’t play. He might be sad. Everyone thinks it’s the end of his career but he doesn’t. He doesn’t look like a player aged [38].”
He also spoke about these when asked on Luka Modrić and his commitment to Real Madrid despite being 38 years of age now. “From the respect that I have for him, I can’t give him advice. He’s very intelligent, he knows what to do. I can’t get into his head and see what he thinks. His behaviour and how he trains is perfect. I have affection for him. Staying to make an impact off the bench, I don’t know. It’s difficult to understand that the quality of the minutes is more important than the quantity.”
Is Luka Modrić Making Way for Kylian Mbappé to Wear the No. 10 Shirt?
Following Luka Modrić’s winning goal versus Sevilla yesterday, news surrounding the player would be his future at the 14 time European Cup / UEFA Champions League winners Real Madrid, especially after the end of the current season. Luka Modrić, who signed a new contract with Los Blancos in June 2023, is contracted to the Spanish La Liga giants until the summer of this calendar year, and there have been no confirmed news regarding any new extensions signed between the club and the midfielder.
In regard to this, Ancelotti had this to say about Luka Modrić’s contract situation with the club: “Modrić, Kroos, Nacho are all in the same situation. I don’t get into that. The club has time to sort all that out in the next few months.”
Real Madrid are of course set to welcome 2022 FIFA World Cup Golden Boot winner and 25-year-old France national team captain to the Santiago Bernabéu according to many reliable sources, and since the player’s usual preferred jersey number of 7 is currently occupied by Vinícius Júnior and that another new signing Endrick is likely taking the no. 9 shirt, the French forward is potentially getting the no. 10 jersey at Los Blancos upon his arrival, which is the property of Luka Modrić at the moment. It would be interesting to see if Luka Modrić continue to wear his current number and stay at Real Madrid at the start of next season.
🗣️Carlo Ancelotti on Luka Modric’s Real Madrid future
“I can’t be in Modric’s head. He’s a top guy, very humble, I love him. I don’t know if he wants to stay and be a back up player.” pic.twitter.com/woDbuFlsgJ
— Football España (@footballespana_) February 25, 2024
