Real Madrid head coach Carlo Ancelotti expressed admiration for his team’s resilience and lauded goalscorer Luka Modric following their hard-fought 1-0 triumph over Sevilla at the Bernabeu on Sunday night.
This crucial win widened the gap to eight points over bitter rivals FC Barcelona at the summit of La Liga, with Girona, their Catalan counterparts, scheduled to play on Monday evening.
In a post-match flash interview, Ancelotti commended his players for their determination and perseverance, emphasizing their commitment to battling until the final whistle.
“We played with a high intensity until the end, we never lost control and we did it. We created a lot of chances and the goal ended up coming. It was deserved.”
Ancelotti was asked if his team played with “pride, character, personality” and answered that they instead did so with “everything”.
“The sacrifice was seen, in standing up to a very tough opponent. We took very few risks, prioritising balance, and that shows that we were in the game for 90 minutes.”
Modric brought the ball down excellently to then strike one of his best goals since joining from Tottenham Hotspur in 2012 deep into the second half.
Ancelotti called it a “great goal and great control” from the Croat, who “came on fresh and helped us a lot in this game”.
“It’s worth three points,” he added.