{"id":64545,"date":"2024-02-26T06:23:17","date_gmt":"2024-02-26T06:23:17","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/pakistaninewspaperlist.com\/news\/modric-thunderbolt-breaks-sevilla-hearts-the-express-tribune\/"},"modified":"2024-02-26T06:23:17","modified_gmt":"2024-02-26T06:23:17","slug":"modric-thunderbolt-breaks-sevilla-hearts-the-express-tribune","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/pakistaninewspaperlist.com\/news\/modric-thunderbolt-breaks-sevilla-hearts-the-express-tribune\/","title":{"rendered":"Modric thunderbolt breaks Sevilla hearts | The Express Tribune"},"content":{"rendered":"
\n
\nMADRID:
\n<\/strong><\/p>\n

Veteran midfielder Luka Modric’s<\/a> curling strike gave Real Madrid a 1-0 win over Sevilla on Sunday, lifting them eight points clear of Barcelona atop La Liga where they are unbeaten in 20 games.<\/p>\n

Madrid’s last league loss came in September.<\/p>\n

Third-placed Girona are a further point adrift. They are not in action until Monday when they take on Rayo Vallecano.<\/p>\n

With Jude Bellingham and Joselu both injured, and Eduardo Camavinga and Dani Carvajal suspended, Madrid faltered in the early exchanges and Youssef En-Nesyri missed an early chance for the visitors.<\/p>\n

Sunday’s game appeared headed for a stalemate until 38-year-old Modric, who was on as a late substitute, produced a blistering strike from outside the box after 81 minutes as the referee waved away angry Sevilla claims for off-side.<\/p>\n

An equally impressive Lucas Vazquez strike had been wiped off by VAR after 10 minutes, a decision which prompted jeers and brought a yellow card for Real coach Carlo Ancelotti<\/a>.<\/p>\n

“We deserved the win, we kept up the intensity until the very end and this is what happens when you achieve that,” said the Italian coach.<\/p>\n

The match saw 37-year-old Sergio Ramos’ return to the Santiago Bernabeu where he spent 16 seasons, but it was Modric who stole the headlines.<\/p>\n

“We proved that we never give up. That is in Real Madrid’s DNA,” said Modric.<\/p>\n

“We would have preferred to have scored earlier, but it’s even more thrilling when it comes late.”<\/p>\n

Uruguayan midfielder Federico Valverde had a lively game, hitting a post and scraping the crossbar in the first half as Vinicius Junior and Rodrygo also went close.<\/p>\n

Vinicius was the man behind Lucas Vazquez’s goal which was ruled out when Nacho had clearly fouled Youssef En-Nesyri in the run-up.<\/p>\n

A minute’s silence was observed before the game in memory of victims of the apartment block fire in the Spanish city of Valencia.<\/p>\n

On Saturday, Xavi’s rejigged Barcelona side thrashed Getafe 4-0 to climb to second with recalled duo Joao Felix and Raphinha on the scoresheet.<\/p>\n

Dutch midfielder Frenkie De Jong and Fermin Lopez were also on target.<\/p>\n

“We knew which spaces to attack and opened them up on several occasions and that’s where the goals came from. It’s a victory which gives us a little more peace of mind,” said Barca coach Xavi.<\/p>\n

Bottom side Almeria twice came from behind to hold Atletico Madrid to a 2-2 draw. The stalemate left the hosts winless this season after 26 matches.<\/p>\n

Atletico, who lost 1-0 in the Champions League last 16 first leg tie at Inter Milan in midweek, remain fourth, 13 points off leaders Real Madrid.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

MADRID: Veteran midfielder Luka Modric’s curling strike gave Real Madrid a 1-0 win over Sevilla on Sunday, lifting them eight points clear of Barcelona atop La Liga where they are unbeaten in 20 games. Madrid’s last league loss came in September. Third-placed Girona are a further point adrift. They are not in action until Monday […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":64546,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"site-sidebar-layout":"default","site-content-layout":"","ast-site-content-layout":"default","site-content-style":"default","site-sidebar-style":"default","ast-global-header-display":"","ast-banner-title-visibility":"","ast-main-header-display":"","ast-hfb-above-header-display":"","ast-hfb-below-header-display":"","ast-hfb-mobile-header-display":"","site-post-title":"","ast-breadcrumbs-content":"","ast-featured-img":"","footer-sml-layout":"","ast-disable-related-posts":"","theme-transparent-header-meta":"","adv-header-id-meta":"","stick-header-meta":"","header-above-stick-meta":"","header-main-stick-meta":"","header-below-stick-meta":"","astra-migrate-meta-layouts":"default","ast-page-background-enabled":"default","ast-page-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"ast-content-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/i.tribune.com.pk\/media\/images\/modric1708918136-0\/modric1708918136-0.jpg","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[7],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-64545","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-sports"],"acf":[],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t