Showing posts with label Luka Modric. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Luka Modric. Show all posts

Monday, 8 February 2016

Real Modric Magic in Granada

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Luka Modric scored a stunning late goal to give Real Madrid a 2-1 win at struggling Granada and keep their fading La Liga title hopes alive.

Karim Benzema turned in Dani Carvajal's low cross to open the scoring for Real.

They were in danger of slipping six points behind leaders Barcelona, who won 2-0 at Levante earlier, as Yousseff El-Arabi equalised for Granada.

But Modric hammered the ball into the top corner in the 84th minute to give boss Zinedine Zidane a first away win.

The opener was Benzema's 23rd goal of the season and eighth in his last six games as Real forward Cristiano Ronaldo again failed to score away from home.

Ronaldo's last goal away from the Bernabeu came at the end of November and the top scorer missed an early chance as he fired just wide of the far post.

Youssef El-Arabi's sixth league goal of the season drew him level with Enrique Porta as Granada's highest scorer in La Liga history

Granada had lost three of their last four league games and last season conceded 13 goals in two league defeats by Real.

But they carried a real threat all evening and after goalkeeper Andres Fernandez had superbly saved from Benzema, deservedly levelled through substitute El-Arabi with an hour gone.

The Morocco international ran onto a pass from former Blackburn forward Ruben Rochina to slot home with virtually his first touch to become the joint top scorer in Granada's La Liga history with 34 goals.

But ex-Tottenham midfielder Modric capped a superb display with his first league goal of the season to keep Real a point behind city rivals Atletico Madrid and four adrift of leaders Barca.

Elsewhere in La Liga, Sevilla held out with 10 men after having on-loan Tottenham defender Federico Fazio sent off to secure a 1-1 draw at top-six rivals Celta Vigo and extend their unbeaten run to 10 games.

Fazio received two bookings in the first 25 minutes of his first game since rejoining Seville, who went ahead through Daniel Carrico's 43rd-minute goal.

Claudio Beauvue levelled for Celta Vigo 19 minutes into the second half, and the two teams will meet again in the second leg of their Copa del Rey semi-final next Thursday evening with Sevilla leading 4-0 from the first leg.


Sunday, 10 January 2016

Zidane Right Man for Real Job - Modric


Real Madrid’s midfielder Luka Modric believes Saturday’s 5-0 drubbing of Deportivo La Coruna in La Liga in Zinedine Zidane’s debut as the club’s manager shows the former Real and France great is the right man for the job.

Modric, a Croatia international, said he was sorry for Rafa Benítez, sacked and replaced by Zidane last week after less than half a season in charge, but that somebody had needed to pay the price for an indifferent run of results.

Gareth Bale claimed a hat-trick and Karim Benzema scored twice at the Bernabeu, where fans were united in hailing their hero Zidane, as third-placed Real closed to within a point of Atlético Madrid, who play at Celta Vigo on Sunday.

“I am sorry for Rafa and I would like to thank him for his work, but being honest and seeing today’s game I think that the change has been positive,” Modric said. “When you lose there is always someone who has to pay.

“You just have to compare this match with the previous ones. The team’s attitude was different and hopefully we can continue in the same way.”

One of the reasons the Real president Florentino Pérez decided to discard Benitez and promote Zidane from the B team coach was the apparent breakdown in the old coach’s relationship with dressing-room heavyweights such as Cristiano Ronaldo and James Rodriguez. 

The change in the dynamic with Zidane at the helm was palpable on Saturday, with the players looking more determined and committed and working hard for each other in attack and defence.

“We played a lot more rapidly and we functioned as a team in the way was always should function,” Modric said. “Today we were a team from the start, up front, at the back and in the middle.

“What we did against Deportivo was to pressure higher up the pitch and win back a lot of balls and when we had possession we were very dangerous.”

Real’s next match is a La Liga game at home to Sporting Gijón next weekend. 

They play the first leg of their Champions League last-16 tie at AS Roma on 17 February.