October 5, 2019. Santiago Bernabéu Stadium. Real Madrid host Granada, the sensation of the beginning of the season, in the 8th round of La Liga. The visitors are high in the table, but the Madrid team comes out fired up, eager to show their class. The atmosphere in the stadium is tense: the spectators are full of expectations and hopes for a bright game. In the center of the field is Luka Modric, who recently recovered from an injury. He is back in the starting lineup, and immediately begins to conduct – rhythm, control, passes over any distance. Modric, with the ball at his feet, like an artist with a brush, paints pictures on the field. He does not just pass, he creates, thinking several steps ahead. Every movement, every touch of the ball is filled with meaning. From the first minutes of the match, Real begins to press, forcing Granada to defend. The visiting defenders are under pressure, but they hold firm, trying not to let the Madrid team create dangerous moments. However, Modric finds a gap and soon makes a brilliant pass to Vinicius Junior. The Brazilian, with incredible speed, breaks through the flank, leaving the defenders behind.
A roar comes from the stands when Vinicius, without thinking, makes a cross into the penalty area. At this moment, the entire Real team watches with bated breath as the ball finds Sergio Ramos. The team captain, who is no stranger to goals, makes a powerful header. Alas, the ball goes wide. But this is only the beginning. Despite the pressure, Granada is not going to give up. They respond with counterattacks, which sometimes prove quite dangerous. One of these moments leads to a corner. At this moment, the stadium freezes: everyone understands that set pieces are a chance for Granada. But Real defenders, including Ramos and Nacho, act confidently, not allowing the opponent to take advantage of the moment. In the 30th minute of the game, Modric again takes control of the game. He receives the ball on the edge of the penalty area and, using his technique, treats it as if it were an extension of his leg. A Granada defender tries to stop him, but Luka, having dodged the tackle, strikes. The ball flies into the bottom corner, and the goalkeeper, although he tries, does not make it in time. 1:0 – the stadium explodes with applause.
After the goal, Real begins to act even more confidently. The players understand that they have an advantage, and continue to press, creating many moments. Modric, as a true captain, encourages his teammates, showing them where and how to move. His leadership qualities and experience become decisive factors in this game. Granada, realizing that they need to act more aggressively, begins to attack more actively. Their players try to find free zones, but Real responds with an organized defense. In the 60th minute, Granada creates a dangerous moment when their striker shoots from outside the penalty area. But Thibaut Courtois, the Real Madrid goalkeeper, shows his class by pulling the ball out of the corner.
The tension increases with each passing minute. Madrid continues to control the game, but Granada does not give up. In the 75th minute, they organize another attack. A Real Madrid defender makes a mistake in the pass, and the opponent finds himself one-on-one with Courtois. At this moment, the fans’ hearts stop. But the goalkeeper again demonstrates his skills, parrying the shot. In the final minutes of the game, Real makes several substitutions to refresh the squad and maintain the advantage. Modric, who gave 100%, leaves the field to thunderous applause from the stands. He knows that he did everything possible to win. In the end, the match ends with a score of 1:0 in favor of Real.
In the 43rd minute, with the score 2-0 in favor of Real, the ball ends up with Modric 25 meters from the goal. He doesn’t think – he strikes with his right foot. The ball flies in an arc, flies into the very top corner, the goalkeeper doesn’t even move. 3-0. A masterpiece. The stadium explodes with delight. Real fans rise from their seats, applaud and chant the name of their hero. Luka, with a wide smile on his face, raises his hands in gratitude. This goal was not just the end of the first half, but a real work of art that the fans will remember for a long time. After the break, the team takes to the field with a sense of confidence. Real continues to dominate, and Modric, inspired by his success, becomes even more active. He looks for opportunities for new attacks, his vision of the game allows him to find open areas and create chances. Soon his efforts bear fruit: he makes a precise pass to Benzema, who, having received the ball, confidently goes around the defender and shoots into the corner of the goal.
The goal is not long in coming, and soon the scoreboard lights up 4:0. The atmosphere in the stadium becomes even more festive, everyone understands that this is Real Madrid’s night. But the team is not going to stop. They continue to attack, creating new chances and increasing the pressure on the Granada defense. However, the opponent is not going to give up without a fight. They try to organize counterattacks, and one of these moments becomes dangerous. The Granada striker receives the ball on the flank, runs a few meters and makes a cross into the penalty area. Real’s defenders lose concentration for a moment, and the ball ends up at the feet of the opponent. But Courtois shows his skills again, parrying the shot and keeping the goal intact.
With each passing minute, the game becomes more and more tense. Despite the score, Granada tries to find its moments, and Real, in turn, does not relax and continues to control the ball. In the 70th minute, Modric receives the ball in a new position, where he can roam. He dribbles past one, then another – even his opponents admire his dribbling. In the end, he finds his partner, and the ball ends up with Benzema again. The Frenchman, in the penalty area, strikes, and the ball is back in the net. 5:0. This becomes a real holiday for everyone who supports Real. Every action of Modric is felt on the field, he becomes a catalyst for attacks, not giving the opponent a chance.
In the last minutes of the game, the coach decides to release the young player to give him a chance to prove himself in such an important match. Approving shouts are heard from the stands when the young man enters the field. Modric, noticing his excitement, comes up and encourages him, sharing his experience. This is a small moment, but it speaks of great respect and team spirit. The game is drawing to a close, but Real Madrid are not going to slow down. They continue to press and create several more dangerous moments, but the Granada goalkeeper, despite having conceded five goals, is starting to show his worth. He makes several incredible saves that delight the spectators. In the final seconds of the match, when everyone is ready to celebrate the victory, Granada organizes a final attack. The striker, taking advantage of a mistake by the defender, finds himself one-on-one with Courtois. But at that moment, the entire Real team, including Modric, rushes into defense, blocking the path to the goal. The ball bounces toward the center of the field, and the referee blows the final whistle.
1 goal (from long range), 96% accurate passes, 3 through balls, 5 interceptions, 1 save in defense. These numbers speak for themselves. He is not just a player – he is the heart and soul of the team, the key element that connects defense and attack. From the first minutes of the match, Luka sets a high tempo, actively participating in the creation of chances. His accurate passes allow the team to keep the ball under control and organize attacks. Every time he receives the ball, the spectators freeze in anticipation. Modric, with a unique vision of the game, always knows where to direct the ball. The first goal was a real masterpiece: he received the ball on the edge of the penalty area, dribbled past the defender and, without thinking, struck.
His 96% accurate passes are the result not only of his skill, but also of his understanding of the game. Modric always makes the right decision, whether it is a short pass to a teammate or a long throw to the flank. He is constantly moving, opening himself to receive the ball, and this hard working style of play makes him irreplaceable. The three through balls he made in this match were real highlights. Each of them raised the team to new heights. One of these passes led to Benzema’s goal, when Luka, seeing an open space, sent the ball right to the striker’s foot. This moment was not only the result of excellent play, but also a demonstration of the team as a single organism. But Modric showed himself not only in attack. His 5 interceptions show that he does not forget about his defensive duties.
