Luka Modric fired a stunning long-range strike in Real Madrid’s 2-0 win over Girona on Sunday, leveling the defending champions with Barcelona atop La Liga.
In the 41st minute, the veteran midfielder controlled the ball with his chest before curling a right-footed shot into the top corner.
"To score a goal like that, you have to keep shooting," Modric said. "I had space, controlled it, struck it well, and thankfully it went in. It was a beautiful goal, and scoring at home in front of the Bernabeu crowd is always special."
The Santiago Bernabeu erupted in applause, rewarding Modric with a standing ovation for his brilliant effort.
"I’m very grateful and proud of the affection that Madrid fans show me every day," he said. "Today they’ve done it again, and I can only say 'thank you.'"
Vinicius Junior scored Madrid's second goal after an assist from Kylian Mbappe in the 83rd minute to leave Madrid with 54 points, the same total as Barcelona, which won 2-0 at Las Palmas on Saturday.
Barcelona lead on the head-to-head tiebreaker.
Atletico Madrid are one point behind the two rivals. Diego Simeone's team won 3-0 at Valencia on Saturday.
Modric made his ninth start in 25 league matches for Madrid in a season where the 39-year-old has seen limited minutes off the bench. The former World Player of the Year scored his fourth goal of the season with his neat strike to put Madrid ahead at the Bernabeu.
"Modric is a gift for soccer," Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti said. "We've had the luck of having a legend with us."
Vinicius scored his first league goal since November from inside the area after a nice through ball by Mbappe, who on Wednesday scored a hat trick to lead Madrid to a 3-1 win over Manchester City at the Bernabeu in the Champions League playoffs.
Ancelotti rested a few regular starters following the City match at the Bernabeu, including central defender Antonio Rüdiger and midfielder Federico Valverde, who for the first time this season didn’t play any minutes.
Defender David Alaba made his first start in more than a year following a knee injury, while Lucas Vazquez returned to the lineup after missing a few games to nurse a left hamstring issue.
Modric had also started in the league draw at Osasuna last weekend as Ancelotti rotated his squad for the Champions League playoff games against City. Brahim Diaz was another who got to start on Sunday.
Midfielder Jude Bellingham served the first of a two-game suspension for cursing at a referee in the match against Osasuna.
Girona, sitting in 12th place, has lost seven of its last eight games in all competitions, including three in a row in La Liga.
Forward Nico Williams scored a goal in each half as Athletic Bilbao trounced last-place Valladolid 7-1 at home.
Mikel Jauregizar, Maroan Sannadi, Oihan Sancet, Gorka Guruzeta, and Inaki Williams, Nico's brother, also scored for Athletic.
Valladolid, which has lost six in a row, played with 10 men from the 66th minute after a red card for Stanko Juric. The visitors had what would have been the 1-1 equalizer in the first half disallowed for offside.
Before each match, a banner with the words "Respect the referee" and "Respect soccer" was displayed as players from both teams posed for photos. The campaign comes after several complaints from clubs about refereeing decisions and some threats by fans against officials.
Japan forward Takefusa Kubo scored a second-half goal as eighth-placed Real Sociedad comfortably beat Leganes 3-0 at home.
Isco scored twice as seventh-placed Real Betis won 2-1 at Getafe.
