Posted by Oliver Wilson

In late December the readers of Marca voted Luka Modric, the man who cost real Madrid £26 million, as the worst signing in Spanish football for 2012. His critics have a strong case to put against the Croatian wizard. Modric had scored just once before Tuesday night in a 4-0 win against Zaragoza and provided just one assist in La Liga. For the amount of money Madrid paid for their summer signing, fans expected more then just a bit part player in Mourinho’s system.

 

On Wednesday morning, however, a few of those voters might have started to change their minds about La Liga’s “worst signing of 2012.”

 

The world was going to stand still for Manchester United’s Champions League clash with Real Madrid according to Los Blancos manager Jose Mourinho and in Madrid, at least, it did when Sergio Ramos steered the ball into his own net early in the second half to give United a much deserved lead.

 

Madrid had been slow and were forced to play awkward intricate balls into the final third in an attempt to unsettle a sturdy United defence that dealt with the majority of Madrid’s pressure competently. The breakthrough, though, finally invigorated the Spanish giants as they upped their search for the suddenly essential equalizer.

 

Nani’s controversial sending off 12 minutes after Ramos’ blunder appeared to place Madrid firmly in the driving seat, but the armada that continually launched wave after wave of attacks at the United goal was stalled by the resilience of a defence that typified the gutsy ‘never say die’ attitude that Sir Alex Ferguson’s sides always had in their locker on the big occasion.

 

Mourinho made the call and Modric entered the arena to face a side he’d never beaten when he wore the white of Tottenham Hotspur, and immediately the Croatian grabbed the bull by the horns, sending Madrid into overdrive.

 

The added space, thanks to the removal of Nani, gave the playmaker the freedom to move about at will and every attack was suddenly dictated by the control and vision of Luka.  Some would call it an easy occasion to rise to, but with few others offering such determination and composure – with Xabi Alonso having a quiet night and Mesut Ozil and Sami Khedira both having off nights in the centre of the park – Modric was the lone man to keep Madrid driving forward in search of that vital goal.

 

When it did come, the strike was unstoppable, a dipping swerving effort that left David De Gea with no chance in the United goal and was a refreshing reminder of what had caught the eye of Europe’s most successful side last summer.  Even with the lead Modric was ruthless, exposing the gaps in the United defence with his crisp passing while off the ball Luka’s movement continued to find the gaping space left by the extra man advantage, giving him ample time to operate in.

 

 

His two goals at Old Trafford in 2009 had brought nothing but heartbreak as the Red Devils fired five past Spurs in a 5-2 drubbing four years ago, but last night Modric exorcised those demons with a composite display that helped take Madrid into the next round of the Champions League and may have just helped him to find a few new fans back home in Spain.

 

A repeat performance on the weekend against 11 men would do a lot to keep those followers coming.