In a thrilling La Liga showdown at Santiago Bernabeu on Sunday, Real Madrid managed to extend their lead at the top of the table to eight points, courtesy of a sensational late goal by Luka Modric. The Croatian midfielder’s sublime strike secured a crucial 1-0 victory over Sevilla, propelling Madrid to 65 points, comfortably ahead of arch-rivals Barcelona and third-placed Girona.

Real Madrid dominated possession from the outset. Despite an early goal from Lucas Vazquez being disallowed by VAR for a preceding foul, Madrid’s intent was clear. However, Sevilla’s strategic counterattacks posed a significant threat, testing Real’s defensive mettle and forcing goalkeeper Andriy Lunin into action multiple times.

Sevilla’s goalkeeper, Orjan Nyland, was in spectacular form, denying Madrid’s formidable attacking line with a series of remarkable saves. His efforts kept the visitors in contention until the 81st minute when Modric, coming off the bench, changed the narrative. After latching onto a rebound, the 38-year-old unleashed a powerful, curling shot that clipped the post before finding the back of the net, leaving Nyland no chance.

Modric’s goal was not just a display of individual brilliance but a culmination of relentless pressure and tactical persistence from Real Madrid. With nearly 65% possession and 16 attempts on goal to Sevilla’s four, the home side’s offensive onslaught eventually paid dividends, thanks to Modric’s precision and composure.

In a post-match interview with DAZN, Modric highlighted the importance of persistence and practice. “It takes a lot of practice every day, every day,” he said, reflecting on his match-winning effort. “You can see me practising shooting at goal for hours every day… In football, you have to shoot, I did it today and it went in.”

The victory was crucial for Real Madrid, especially with Barcelona narrowing the gap the previous day. Modric emphasized the significance of the win, stating, “Persistence is one of our strengths, we never stop, we insist, we create and we look for it until the end. We knew that we couldn’t let the points slip away from us today because Barcelona had come so close, and we couldn’t let that happen.”

The result leaves Sevilla languishing in 15th place, a mere six points above the relegation zone. As the league progresses, Real Madrid’s quest for the title seems more assured with each passing match, thanks to moments of magic like Modric’s late winner.