European roundup: Modric stuns Sevilla with late winner for Real Madrid

Luka Modric scored the only goal of the game as Real Madrid beat Sevilla 1-0 in La Liga. The Croatia international fired home from the edge of the penalty area in the 81st minute to maintain Real’s five-point lead over Barcelona at the summit.

Sixth-placed Real Betis are now seven points behind fifth-placed Athletic Bilbao in the table after beating the 10-man Lions 3-1. Ezequiel Avila’s strike and Yuri Berchiche’s own goal sent Betis ahead before Nico Williams was sent off in the 40th minute. Gorka Guruzeta pulled one back for the Basque side, but Johnny Cardoso wrapped up victory for Betis in the 67th minute.

Internazionale continued their unbeaten start to 2024 with a 4-0 triumph over Lecce in Serie A. Lautaro Martínez scored twice alongside goals from Davide Frattesi and Stefan de Vrij for Inter to extend their winning run to 10 games in all competitions.

They remain nine points ahead of Juventus, who were rescued by Daniele Rugani’s late stoppage-time goal to beat Frosinone 3-2 after initially taking the lead through Dusan Vlahovic’s double.

A late goal also denied Napoli victory as Zito Luvumbo cancelled out Victor Osimhen’s second-half goal for the reigning Serie A champions in a 1-1 draw with Cagliari. Teun Koopmeiners’ penalty kept Atalanta in the race for Serie A’s top four as he cancelled out Rafael Leao’s opener in a 1-1 draw with Milan.

Paris Saint-Germain needed a late penalty from Gonçalo Ramos to rescue a point as they drew 1-1 with Rennes in Ligue 1. A stunning effort from Amine Gouiri fired the visitors in front and the hosts looked destined for a second league defeat this season before Ramos scored from the spot deep into stoppage time, ensuring PSG sit 11 points clear at the top of the table.

Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang scored twice as Marseille beat struggling Montpellier 4-1 at the Orange Velodrome. The visitors had gone in front five minutes in through Mousa al-Tamari but Iliman Ndiaye equalised before the former Arsenal striker Aubameyang netted either side of the break, with Falaye Sacko’s own goal piling more misery on Montpellier.

Nice’s goalless draw with bottom-of-the-table Clemont saw Monaco, who needed a late goal to beat Lens 3-2, move into third. They took the lead through Folarin Balogun and Brice Samba’s own goal, but Lens fought back with goals from Elye Wahi and Wesley Saïd before the former Liverpool forward Takumi Minamino found the winner in added time.

Maximilian Beier’s quick double helped Hoffenheim move up into seventh in the Bundesliga after beating Borussia Dortmund 3-2. Hoffenheim got off to the perfect start when Ihlas Bebou put them ahead just two minutes into the game, but Donyell Malen and Nico Schlotterbeck scored within four minutes of each other to hand Dortmund the lead going into half-time.

Beier then struck in the 61st and 64th minute to snatch victory for Hoffenheim, who are now four points behind Eintracht Frankfurt after they drew 2-2 with Wolfsburg.

Philipp Max cancelled out Maxence Lacroix’s opener before Kevin Behrens restored Wolfsburg’s lead, but Omar Marmoush levelled against his former club two minutes into stoppage time.

Augsburg ended their four-game winless run after second-half goals from Felix Uduokhai and Arne Engels handed them a 2-1 win against Freiburg.

The Bordeaux forward Alberth Elis has undergone surgery after sustaining a serious head injury during a Ligue 2 match against Guingamp, his club said on Sunday.

The 28-year-old Honduras international collided with the Guingamp defender Donatien Gomis just 40 seconds into the game at Nouveau Stade de Bordeaux on Saturday, after which he was carried off on a stretcher.

Thirteenth-placed Bordeaux, who secured a 1-0 win over Guingamp, said Elis was rushed to the hospital after the incident and underwent surgery during the night. They added that Elis had to be placed in a protective artificial coma.

“We will be monitoring his condition in hospital over the next few days. At this stage, it is not yet possible to give an opinion on Alberth’s vital and functional prognosis,” Bordeaux said in a statement. “The club therefore expects that it will not be able to communicate any new decisive information for a few days and will not comment further on Alberth’s state of health.”