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Real Madrid midfielder Luka Modric has praised his side's attitude as they edged past Chelsea in a thrilling encounter to reach the Champions League semi-finals.
Madrid took a 3-1 lead into the second leg at the Bernabeu following a convincing victory at Stamford Bridge last week. However, the Spanish champions were less than 15 minutes away from a humiliating exit, thanks to three unanswered goals from the Blues.
The hosts looked down and out until a sheer moment of genius from Modric, who played an inch-perfect lofted through ball with the outside of his right boot to Rodrygo, who hammered home an equalizer.
Karim Benzema then scored his 12th Champions League goal in nine games this season in extra time to send Madrid through at the end of a pulsating European clash.
Modric was named man of the match for his performance in the center of midfield, and the 36-year-old took to Twitter after the game to share his thoughts on his side's mentality.
The Croatian has been a rock for the Galacticos since his arrival from Tottenham in 2012, playing 428 times and winning four Champions League titles in that time. His contract is set to expire at the end of the season.
Modric claims Chelsea 'the most difficult team to play against'
The 2018 Ballon d'Or winner was full of praise for Thomas Tuchel's team after the final whistle. He claimed his side did not take the Blues lightly, despite taking a two-goal advantage into the second leg.
Modric also praised Madrid boss Carlo Ancelotti for his substitutions, telling BT Sport, per The Metro:
"I think (Ancelotti) did great changes and they did well, they had a great impact on the game. Certainly in this competition experience plays an important role and I think today it helped us a bit. But Chelsea, we knew it even after the first game, that we would have a tough game.
"Because they are, for me, the most difficult team to play against. I watch them a lot because of my friend Mateo (Kovacic), how they play, and they are a very tough, physical team, very compact.
"We knew that it was going to be tough – just like it was. But in the end we showed again great character, great desire, great togetherness and we managed to turn it around, which is amazing. A defeat that is very sweet"
