Modric Becomes Real Madrid's Oldest Player, Passes for Winner at Celta Vigo

Soccer Football - LaLiga - Celta Vigo v Real Madrid - Estadio de Balaidos, Vigo, Spain - October 19, 2024 Real Madrid's Vinicius Junior celebrates scoring their second goal with Real Madrid's Luka Modric REUTERS/Miguel Vidal
Soccer Football - LaLiga - Celta Vigo v Real Madrid - Estadio de Balaidos, Vigo, Spain - October 19, 2024 Real Madrid's Vinicius Junior celebrates scoring their second goal with Real Madrid's Luka Modric REUTERS/Miguel Vidal
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Modric Becomes Real Madrid's Oldest Player, Passes for Winner at Celta Vigo

Soccer Football - LaLiga - Celta Vigo v Real Madrid - Estadio de Balaidos, Vigo, Spain - October 19, 2024 Real Madrid's Vinicius Junior celebrates scoring their second goal with Real Madrid's Luka Modric REUTERS/Miguel Vidal
Soccer Football - LaLiga - Celta Vigo v Real Madrid - Estadio de Balaidos, Vigo, Spain - October 19, 2024 Real Madrid's Vinicius Junior celebrates scoring their second goal with Real Madrid's Luka Modric REUTERS/Miguel Vidal

Luka Modric became the oldest player in Real Madrid’s history while also delivering the game-winning assist in a 2-1 victory at Celta Vigo in La Liga on Saturday.

At 39 years, 40 days old, the former Ballon d’Or winner surpassed the milestone held by Ferenc Puskas since 1966 by four days. Modric went on as a second-half substitute after Celta pulled level.
The Croatia midfielder immediately made an impact when he threaded a through-ball forward for Vinícius Júnior to score the 66th-minute winner at Balaidos Stadium.

“It was a hard-fought game,” Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti said. “But we knew how to hang in there and got three important points thanks to a great pass by Modric. Luka always gives us something.”
Kylian Mbappé put the visitors ahead with a long-range strike in the 20th, only for Williot Swedberg to equalize in the 51st from a cross by Óscar Mingueza.
That set the scene for Ancelotti to look to his bench and call on Modric to set things right for the defending champion.
When asked about Modric’s legacy with the club, Ancelotti said: “There is nothing else to say about a fantastic game; he is a great professional and with a character. Real Madrid has been, and is, lucky to have him.”
Modric has the most titles in the history of Real Madrid with 27, including six Champions League titles and four Spanish leagues, The Associated Press reported.
This victory was not an easy one, however.
Celta took it to the defending champions. Thibaut Courtois had to save shots by Swedberg and Jonathan Bamba, and Celta substitute Anastasios Douvikas went inches from grabbing an extra-time equalizer.
“We leave with a bittersweet feeling,” Celta midfielder Fran Beltran said. “We took the game at Real Madrid and were better than them in stretches."
Ancelotti’s side stayed unbeaten through 10 rounds in La Liga and pulled level with Barcelona before it hosts Sevilla on Sunday.
Madrid started a busy week with a home game against Borussia Dortmund in the Champions League on Tuesday before it hosts Barcelona in the first clasico of the season next weekend.
Williams double Iñaki Williams scored twice as Athletic Bilbao rolled to a 4-1 win at home over the promoted Espanyol.
Spain striker Mikel Oyarzabal scored with a header for Real Sociedad to beat Girona 1-0, while Real Betis forward Chimy Avila struck to secure a 2-1 win over Osasuna, his previous club.



Riyadh Season Sponsors Partnership Between La Liga and Thmanyah

The partnership aims to improve the broadcast quality of the Saudi Pro League. SPA
The partnership aims to improve the broadcast quality of the Saudi Pro League. SPA
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Riyadh Season Sponsors Partnership Between La Liga and Thmanyah

The partnership aims to improve the broadcast quality of the Saudi Pro League. SPA
The partnership aims to improve the broadcast quality of the Saudi Pro League. SPA

Riyadh Season has sponsored the signing of a partnership agreement in London between the Spanish football league -- La Liga -- and Thmanyah, the exclusive broadcaster of Saudi competitions and a subsidiary of the Saudi Research and Media Group (SRMG). The partnership aims to improve the broadcast quality of the Saudi Pro League.

The agreement was signed on Thursday on behalf of Riyadh Season by CEO of the General Entertainment Authority, Eng. Faisal bin Saeed Bafarat, on behalf of La Liga by President Javier Tebas, and on behalf of Thmanyah by its founder and CEO Abdulrahman Abumalih.

Chairman of the General Entertainment Authority (GEA) and President of the Saudi Boxing Federation Turki Alalshikh stated that Riyadh Season's sponsorship of the partnership reflects its ongoing efforts to establish a strong global presence.

He noted that Riyadh Season’s sponsorship of La Liga last year was a major milestone and that the new step continues the strategy of positioning Riyadh Season as a global brand across various sectors.

For his part, Javier Tebas expressed his enthusiasm about collaborating with Riyadh Season and Thmanyah to elevate the audiovisual production standards of the Saudi Pro League.

“We already enjoy a fruitful partnership and are building on a strong foundation, as the league’s audiovisual production is managed by highly qualified professionals. We will work alongside them to deliver even more exceptional broadcast experiences,” he said.

Tebas stressed that the partnership marks an important step in enhancing the international profile of Saudi football.

The partnership includes training programs aimed at developing the capabilities of local audiovisual production teams, ensuring gradual and sustainable knowledge transfer. It also involves cooperation in formulating a comprehensive strategy to combat digital piracy in the Kingdom, helping to protect entertainment and sports content.

The agreement reflects a strategic direction toward delivering a complete viewing experience that meets audience expectations both locally and internationally, while also boosting content quality and expanding the global reach of the Saudi Pro League.