Kolkata: The reigning Spanish champions made it two wins in a row in La Liga this season with a sensational goal by Luka Modric that gave Real Madrid a 4-1 victory at Celta Vigo on Saturday. Just before halftime, Modric scored from outside the penalty area to restore Carlo Ancelotti’s team’s lead after Iago Aspas’ early penalty at the opposite end had cancelled out Karim Benzema’s early penalty.
As Madrid improved upon their 2-1 victory over Almeria in the La Liga season opener, they joined Real Betis and Osasuna at the top of the early standings with six points each. Vinicius Junior and Federico Valverde both scored additional goals in the second half, and Eden Hazard had a late penalty saved.
“He is a fantastic leader for us. He scored the most important goal of the game because he put us back ahead and after that the game was a bit more simple for us,” Ancelotti told Onda Cero radio of Modric, who received an ovation from the home crowd in Galicia.
“That is something very special, when fans of other teams acknowledge you and applaud you. It’s lovely,” the Croatian told Real Madrid TV.
At Balaidos, Real seized the lead within the first 30 minutes when Benzema converted a penalty after the official flagged Celta’s Renato Tapia, a Peruvian midfielder, for handball following a VAR review.
Midway through the first half, though, Eder Militao’s arm-blocking of a Goncalo Paciencia header earned Celta a penalty of their own, which was converted perfectly by veteran striker Aspas, who scored 18 goals in all last season.
Then, as Celta looked to take the lead against a Real team playing their first game after agreeing to transfer midfielder Casemiro to Manchester United, Franco Cervi scuffed a shot just wide.
However, Modric was back in the starting line-up and made it 2-1 three minutes before the interval, collecting possession in space 25 metres from goal and advancing before curling a tremendous shot high into the net from the edge of the D.
