Carlo Ancelotti lauded Luka Modric as “a gift to football” after the Croatian midfielder’s spectacular goal helped Real Madrid secure a 2-0 victory over Girona at the Santiago Bernabeu on Sunday.
Modric, who won the Ballon d’Or in 2018, opened the scoring in the 41st minute with a brilliant long-range volley. The 39-year-old controlled a high clearance from a corner with his chest before firing the ball into the top corner, leaving Girona’s goalkeeper no chance.
The midfielder, who has been at Real Madrid since 2012 and won 28 trophies with the club, will see his contract expire at the end of this season. Following the match, Ancelotti spoke highly of Modric’s contribution to the team and said he should leave the club on his own terms.
“Modric is a gift to football,” said Ancelotti in the post-match press conference. “He should stay as long as he wants to. What he does, he does very well. We have been lucky to have a legend like him with us.”
Ancelotti also compared Modric’s longevity to that of Paolo Maldini, his former player at AC Milan, and praised their commitment and professionalism.
“I had another 40-year-old player, Maldini. The two can be compared in what a footballer should be. They are fantastic examples,” Ancelotti explained. “It’s not by chance they’ve reached 40. Genetics matter, but so does commitment and attitude.”
The win over Girona lifted Real Madrid to 54 points after 25 matches, ending a three-game winless streak. They are level on points with Barcelona at the top of La Liga but trail on head-to-head record. Atletico Madrid sit third with 53 points.
Ancelotti was pleased with his team’s performance, despite it not matching the level of their 3-1 win over Manchester City in the Champions League earlier in the week.
“Sometimes when you control the game well and only score once, you risk a draw,” he said. “They had a chance to equalize on a counter-attack after a corner. The second goal sealed the game, but the team played well. It wasn’t easy to repeat the commitment of the City game, but I liked the attitude.”
Real Madrid’s next match is on Wednesday against Real Sociedad in the Copa del Rey semi-final first leg, followed by a league clash against Real Betis on March 1.
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