Luka Modric will not be available for selection for Real Madrid when they face Real Betis in their next La Liga fixture after the Croatian midfielder picked up his fifth yellow card in Spanish top-flight this season during the Madrid derby.
Real Madrid and Atletico Madrid squared off in a La Liga fixture on Saturday, and the two rivals shared points after playing out a 1-1 draw. The result has seen Real Madrid drop two points in a heavy blow to their hopes of retaining the La Liga title.
Real Madrid headed into the Madrid derby trailing La Liga table toppers Barcelona by eight points. The draw to Atletico Madrid has seen Real Madrid reduce the gap on Barcelona to seven points, but the Catalan outfit have a game in hand.
Barcelona can go 10 points clear of Real Madrid in the race for the La Liga title if they defeat Almeria in the Spanish top-flight on Sunday. In another blow to Real Madrid, Luka Modric will miss their next La Liga game due to suspension.
Luka Modric picked his fifth La Liga yellow card of the season during Madrid derby
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In the 90th minute of their match against Atletico Madrid, Luka Modric received a yellow card for fouling Yannick Carrasco. That was the fifth yellow card Modric has received in La Liga this season.
Since he has now accumulated five yellow cards in La Liga this season, he will have to serve an automatic one-game suspension. That rules him out of their match against Real Betis in the Spanish top flight in March.
Real Betis sit fifth in the La Liga points and are capable of causing problems for Real Madrid. Carlo Ancelotti and co. will be hoping to get the better of Real Betis even in the absence of Luka Modric.
Meanwhile, Real Madrid’s attention right now will be on the Copa del Rey semi-final first leg against Barcelona which comes before the Real Betis clash.
Real Madrid takes on their El Clasico rivals in the first leg of Copa del Rey in a match that kicks off at 1:30 am Indian Standard Time on March 3. That game takes place at Santiago Bernabeu.
The Copa del Rey clash presents Real Madrid with a chance to get revenge on Barcelona for defeating them 3-1 in the Spanish Super Cup final in January this year.