Veteran midfielder Luka Modric’s curling strike gave Real Madrid a 1-0 win over Sevilla on Sunday, lifting them eight points clear of Barcelona atop La Liga where they are unbeaten in 20 games.
Madrid’s last league loss came in September.
Third-placed Girona are a further point adrift. They are not in action until Monday when they take on Rayo Vallecano.
Sunday’s game appeared headed for a stalemate until 38-year-old Modric produced a blistering strike from outside the box after 81 minutes as the referee waved away angry Sevilla claims for off-side.
An equally impressive Lucas Vazquez strike had been wiped off by VAR after 10 minutes, a decision which prompted jeers and brought a yellow card for Real coach Carlo Ancelotti.
The match saw 37-year-old Sergio Ramos’ return to the Santiago Bernabeu where he spent 16 seasons, but it was Modric who stole the headlines.
Uruguayan midfielder Federico Valverde had a lively game, hitting a post and scraping the crossbar in the first half as Vinicius Junior and Rodrygo also went close.
Vinicius was the man behind Lucas Vazquez’s goal which was ruled out when Nacho had clearly fouled Youssef En-Nesyri in the run-up.
A minute’s silence was observed before the game in memory of victims of the apartment block fire in the Spanish city of Valencia.
On Saturday, Xavi’s rejigged Barcelona side thrashed Getafe 4-0 to climb to second with recalled duo Joao Felix and Raphinha on the scoresheet.
