Real Madrid emerged victorious with a 2-1 win against Celta Vigo, thanks in part to an impressive performance from Luka Modric, who celebrated becoming the club’s oldest-ever player. Manager Carlo Ancelotti hailed Modric as an “extraordinary professional” following the match held at Balaidos on Saturday.
Kylian Mbappé opened the scoring with a stunning goal in the first half, but Celta equalized through Williot Swedberg. Modric, who came off the bench, broke the record set by Ferenc Puskas as Madrid’s oldest player in a competitive match, at the age of 39 years and 40 days. Just three minutes after his introduction, Modric set up Vinícius Júnior for the decisive goal, helping Madrid regain their lead.
“It’s an honor and a pleasure to coach and work with [Modric],” Ancelotti stated in an interview. “With everything he’s been able to achieve, he’s a fantastic professional and a top man.”
The win against Celta allows Real Madrid to match Barcelona at the top of the LaLiga standings, just ahead of Barça’s match against Sevilla on Sunday. Additionally, Madrid’s unbeaten streak in LaLiga has now reached 42 matches, just one shy of the all-time record held by Barcelona, who they will face in the upcoming Clásico.
Ancelotti continued to praise Modric’s contributions to the team, highlighting his quality and work ethic. “[Modric] always contributes, whether he starts or comes off the bench. He has so much quality that helps us. There aren’t many words to add; he’s still fantastic. He’s an extraordinary professional, he works hard, he’s calm, he has character; Real Madrid are lucky to have this player.”
Both Mbappé and Vinicius missed their international matches due to fitness issues but returned to form with standout performances against Celta. Ancelotti acknowledged their efforts, noting, “[They scored] two spectacular goals. They have that quality, and they made the most of it today. They trained well during the break, and they’ve improved their condition.”