Credit to Modric …and Higuain
Beyond doubt, Cristiano Ronaldo was the gleaming star of the show in Cardiff where Real Madrid so surprisingly and majestically took Juventus apart in the European Champions Cup Final. But the display in midfield of little Luka Modric was not very far behind him.
Painfully fouled by Sami Khedira early on, Modric shrugged off the discomfort to dominate the midfield with unexpected facility. One Real attack after another was shrewdly and subtly begun by the Croatian international. He set up one of their goals, and found himself time and space to keep the attack moving.
In a self-rebuking interview on the eve of the Final, Juventus’ Argentinian international striker Gonzalo Higuain disparaged his own performance in the World Cup Final of 2014.
No mention, though, of the shocking foul he suffered when Germany keeper Manuel Neuer smashed into his head, yet stayed on the field. As, gallantly, did Higuain himself.