Real Madrid veteran midfielder, Luka Modric has admitted that he thought he and his team were out of the UEFA Champions League campaign for this season when the team was 3-0 down on Tuesday, April 12, 2022.
Futballnews has reported that Chelsea took on Madrid in the second leg of the UEFA Champions League quarter-final round after they suffered a 3-1 defeat at Stamford Bridge in the first leg.
Chelsea almost overturned the scoreline as they enjoyed a 3-0 lead in the second leg of the tie until towards the 80th minute before Luka Modric created a magical pass that found the head of Rodrygo who scored the opener for Madrid.
The key moment for Real Madrid
— Zamani30BG😈🤍 (@Zamani30BG) April 12, 2022
Luka Modric 👏🏿👏🏿#CHERMA #Benzema #ChampionsLeague #RMACHE #HalaMadrid pic.twitter.com/tNPdhWTvR4
The goal inspired Real Madrid to push for more and were able to do so in extra-time thanks to Karim Benzema’s header in the first half of the extra time.
WO da fom flat pic.twitter.com/r6EOhdG39q
— Alhassan Mumuni (@Alhassa43237085) April 13, 2022
At the end of the thrilling encounter, Real Madrid managed to knock out Chelsea, 5-4 on aggregate to book a date with either Manchester City or Atletico Madrid in the semi-final stage of the competition.
After the game, Luka Modric, a one-time Ballon d’Or winner who played a vital role in knocking Chelsea out of the Champions League this season said Real Madrid was dead until Rodrygo scored Madrid’s first goal in the second leg of the tie.
“It was unbelievable to describe this game”, Modric said. “We were dead until the goal that we scored. I can’t say we played a bad game, but they used their chances well and scored three goals.
“We kept believing and kept fighting and showed huge character. This stadium and the fans were very helpful to us. When we were losing 3-0, they were there supporting us. That gave us more boost to keep believing we could turn this around.
“I think the mister [Ancelotti] did great changes and they did well. In this competition, experience certainly plays an important role and today it helped us a bit.
“We knew it would be tough, but in the end, we showed great character, desire, and togetherness. It’s a defeat that is very sweet.”
Stats of Luka Modric
Luka Modric has been playing for Real Madrid since he joined the club from Tottenham Hotspur on August 27, 2012, for a transfer fee worth €35 million.
Since he has been playing for the club, the 36-year-old Croatian midfielder has played 428 games in all competitions in which he scored 31 goals and provided 70 assists.
Modric has helped Real Madrid to win two La Liga titles, four UEFA Champions League titles, four FIFA Club World Cups, and many other major titles.
So far this season, Modric whose contract with Real Madrid will expire on June 30, 2022, has scored three goals and provided 9 assists in 37 games in all competitions. His transfer market value is €10 million.
Antonio Rudiger is proud of Chelsea’s performance
Antonio Rudiger was one of the shining lights in Chelsea’s squad that faced Real Madrid on April 12. The 29-year-old center-back scored one of the goals that gave Chelsea the hope of overturning a 2-goal deficit.
Unfortunately for the Premier League side, Real Madrid were able to fight back to maintain their two goals advantage over Chelsea.
After a long hard fight, Real Madrid ended Chelsea’s journey in the Champions League 5-4 on aggregate.
After the game, Rudiger whose contract with Chelsea will expire on June 30, 2022, noted that mistakes cost the Premier League side the opportunity of qualifying for the semi-final stage of the Champions League this season.
“The positive is we didn’t give up,” the Germany international said. “Not many teams can dominate as we did. But the big but is over the two legs, if you make these mistakes that we do, you get punished.
“The game plan was to find our no 10s with Ruben and Mason between Casemiro, we got the goal and we controlled it. We didn’t panic and did it quite well. In the second half, we scored goals and we did everything we could.
“It was a do or die for us. I think before the game nobody thought we would have a 3-0 but the individual class comes to light with Modric and Benzema. Now we are here.”
Rudiger who could join Real Madrid on a free transfer this summer if Chelsea fail to renew his contract has played 46 games in all competitions for the club in which he scored five goals and provided four assists. His current transfer market value is €35 million.
