Football – Real Madrid eased to a 2-0 home victory over Girona yesterday thanks to a blistering first-half volley by Luka Modric and a late Vinicius Jr strike as they snapped a three-game winless run and moved up to second place in LaLiga behind Barcelona.
Reigning champions Real took a while to settle into the match but gradually began to exert control before a clearance from a corner fell to Modric, whose sublime long-range volley arrowed into the top corner in the 41st minute.
The home side’s forwards combined for the second goal in the 83rd when Kylian Mbappe played through Vinicius, who poked his shot under goalkeeper Paulo Gazzaniga.
Real, fresh from a 6-3 aggregate win over Manchester City in the Champions League knockout phase playoffs that took them into the last 16, are on 54 points after 25 games.
They are level with Barca, who beat Las Palmas 2-0 away on Saturday, but trail on the head-to-head count. Atletico Madrid are third with 53 after winning 3-0 at Valencia on Saturday.
It was Real’s first LaLiga win since they beat Real Valladolid last month and Modric enjoyed his goal.
“I was on my own, I controlled the ball, I hit it well and it went in. I don’t know if it’s one of the most spectacular goals (I’ve scored). It’s nice. It’s always special to score at the Bernabeu,” Modric told Real Madrid TV.
“A very important victory, we have to stay in the fight,” he added.
“We played a very good game after the great night the other evening, it’s not easy after so much wear and tear to get our heads up but we did it.
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